close only counts in horseshoes (and hand grenades)
close only counts in horseshoes (and hand grenades)
proverb Being nearly successful or accurate is not the same as being successful or accurate; being close to achieving something does not provide any benefit. It doesn't matter that we only lost the game by two points—we still lost! And close only counts in horseshoes. A: "You should be proud that you came so close to being valedictorian." B: "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."
See also: close, count, hand, horseshoe
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
Close only counts in horseshoes (and hand grenades).
Prov. Coming close but not succeeding is not good enough. I came close to winning the election, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
See also: close, count, horseshoe
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- Close only counts in horseshoes
- horseshoe
- deceive
- appearance
- appearances can be deceiving
- take (something) with a grain of salt
- take (something) with a pinch of salt
- take something with a pinch of salt
- take with a pinch of salt
- that's my story and I'm sticking to it