1. to win a war or a fight.

At the beginning of the American Civil War, many southerners believed their soldiers and statesmen would carry the day.

2. if you carry the day, you persuade people to support your ideas or opinions, or if a particular idea carries the day, it is accepted by a group of people.

The Republicans carried the day in the dispute over the new jet fighter.

Her argument in favour of pay increases eventually carried the day.

• be left on the sidelines
• be level pegging
• believe a word of it
• believe it or not
• believe me
• be light-headed
• be light years away
• be light years away from
• be light years away from something
• be like a bear with a sore head
• be like a bull in a china shop
• be like a cat on a hot tin roof
• be like a child in a sweetshop
• be like a deer caught in the headlights
• be like a dog with two tails
• be like a fish out of water
• be like a kid in a candy store
• be like a rabbit caught in the headlights
• be like a red rag to a bull
• be like a spare prick at a wedding
• be like chalk and cheese
• be like Fort Knox
• be like looking for a needle in a haystack
• be like painting the Forth Bridge
• be like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic