head-to-head

head to head

Describing a one-on-one matchup or comparison. When looked at head to head, these two players really bring similar defensive abilities to our team. I'm going head to head against last year's spelling bee champion, of course I'm nervous! I'm looking at the two job offers head to head, and I still can't make a decision!
See also: head
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

head-to-head

If people or groups have head-to-head talks or meetings, they meet to discuss the subjects they disagree about. They have just begun a third session of head to head talks which are expected to last until late afternoon. Note: If you talk head-to-head with someone, you talk to them directly. The photo showed the two leaders talking head-to-head. Note: A head-to-head is a discussion or argument. Next time you have a head-to-head with someone in authority, watch your language. Compare with go head to head.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

(go) head-to-ˈhead (with somebody)

(deal with somebody) in a very direct and determined way, especially in a competition between two people, organizations, etc: They are set to meet head-to-head in next week’s final.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • head to head
  • go head to head
  • have a gun to (one's) head
  • have a gun to your head
  • hatrack
  • (one's) head is more than just a hat rack
  • a head
  • mop head
  • head in
  • head for the setting sun
References in periodicals archive
If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all the head-to-head criteria, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams.
Hunt, 52, said it was disrespectful for Johnson to have turned down the opportunity for a televised head-to-head debate on Sky television.
This 100-patient, double-masked, head-to-head study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of VOS versus Restasis in subjects with DES.
In a statement, the BBC said: "Our proposal is to broadcast a programme which includes both a head-to-head debate between the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition and also an opportunity to hear from a wider range of voices.
"Empagliflozin did not increase the risk of bone fracture compared with placebo in a pooled analysis of >12,000 patients or compared with glimepiride in a four-year head-to-head study," the authors write.
During the 'Head-to-Head' segment, candidates were divided into 20 Groups of six countries and each group were assigned one question to answer.
"Head lice can't jump, hop, fly or swim, so they rely on head-to-head contact to spread.
Recommendation Under 23.5 legs 2pts 10-11 Coral T Jenkins v M Webster Head-to-head: Jenkins leads 8-3 Terry Jenkins was made to work far harder than he would have liked by Darin Young in round one and that could spell trouble over the longer distance.
When I started my own company, rather than go head-to-head against the big sales training firm's, I identified a gap.
Labour said: "David Cameron is ducking the last chance for people to see the main party leaders go head-to-head."
The application is based on data from an extensive head-to-head preclinical data package comparing SB2 to the originator, a head-to-head Phase I trial in healthy volunteers, and a head-to-head Phase III equivalence trial in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis.
Surprisingly, Nishikori and Djokovic are tied with two wins apiece in their head-to-head match-up.
The week-long event was a challenge for TGP readers to go head-to-head against Bumgarner in a gymkhana event.
The Sugar B's will go head-to-head with five other bands in the regional heat of the New Brunswick Battle of the Blues.
The big two were due to go head-to-head but the Beeb decided to move it, possibly to their advantage.