shoo

be a shoo-in

To be predicted to easily win a competition. Julia is a shoo-in for this year's spelling bee—she's the best speller in the whole town.

shoo away

To drive someone or an animal away by or as if by crying "Shoo!" A noun or pronoun can be used between "shoo" and "away." The security guard shooed away the kids who were loitering near the entrance of the mall. I saw a deer eating the flowers in my garden, so I ran outside and shooed it away.
See also: away, shoo

shoo off

To drive someone or an animal away by or as if by crying "Shoo!" A noun or pronoun can be used between "shoo" and "off." The security guard shooed off the kids who were loitering near the entrance of the mall. I saw a deer eating the flowers in my garden, so I ran outside and shooed it off.
See also: off, shoo

shoo-in

Someone or something that is predicted to easily win a competition. Julia is a shoo-in for this year's spelling bee—she's the best speller in the whole town.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

be a shoo-in

INFORMAL
If someone is a shoo-in for something such as an election or contest, they are certain to win. Note: `Shoo-in' is sometimes spelled `shoe-in'. The president seemed a shoo-in for a second term, even though the election was some 20 months away. She seemed like a shoo-in. But in the past month she has seen her 20-point lead reduced to a mere five percentage points.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

be a ˈshoo-in

(American English, informal) be a person or team that will win easily or will definitely be chosen for something: He’s a shoo-in for governor. She was a shoo-in to win the award.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

shoo-in

(ˈʃuɪn)
n. an easy winner. My horse was a shoo-in. It won by a mile.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

shoo-in

A sure winner. This term comes from horse racing. The verb “to shoo” has long meant to drive or urge on. In the early 1900s corrupt jockeys would select a long shot to beat the faster horses, which would then be “shooed in” by the others. Turned into a noun, the expression now is used for a team, a political candidate, or other competitor, without any connotation of malfeasance.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • shoo-in
  • be a shoo-in
  • shoo away
  • shoo off
  • go head to head
  • busy as a bee
  • (as) busy as a bee
  • as busy as a bee
  • be (as) busy as a bee
  • ve haf vays of making you talk
References in periodicals archive
Peter Einstein, General Manager of Physique TV commented: "We endeavour to deliver a breakthrough Arabic cooking show with ' Fit Chef Shoo Laziz (How Delicious)' which showcases not only healthy recipes but also highlights their nutritional value needed for day to day dining.
Physique TV launches new healthy cooking show
'The idea is to reduce fragmentation and increase the extent of forest refugia to help species persist under warmer climates.' Barriers between existing remnants include roads and degraded land, but Dr Shoo says, 'Previous work used underpasses and targeted forest restoration and we plan to add to that.'
Supporting rainforest biodiversity in a changing climate
2) Todd Omelchuk gears up in Pearl Izumi Nomad sleeveless top ($65) and Supplex/Lycro Rocket shoo set ($30) in black.
Roll with it: from urban streets to country roads, summer is the season for in-line skating
The deal comes after a major national award win for the best Primary Software at the Bett Awards for eight Collins Education Big Cat e-books, created using Shoo Fly's StoryCreator software.
Shoo in with Bloomsbury
Dawn Row lands, a PA in the firm's planning team, was selected to represent Shoo smiths' Birmingham office.
Dawn sets sights on phenomenal opportunity in South Africa
However unconcerned Will later brushed off the incident, tellingmore than 500 fans: "I shoo parking tickets away - let it be taken up by the courts."
ViP: WILL GIG IS ALL-TICKET
Shoo Fly publishing's animated virtual book for primary school children - The Three Little Cowboy Builders - was also criticised for its potential to offend builders.
Three Little Pigs tale too offensive
More than 80 shows are being held at community venues across the region from sassy cabaret duo Shoo Shoo Baby performing From Berlin to Broadway at Bulkington Village Centre on September 29 and Bishop's Itchington Memorial Hall the following night.
Berlin and Broadway coming to Bulkington
Shoo sooin 'ad t' plastic wrappin' whipped off an' telled me it wer fra one o' them firms 'at run cooachin' 'olidays.
Dooan't forget t'drahver, sir
Like Pavlov's dog, we have become programmed to believe it, to internalize it, to suspect that when love does come sniffing around us, we better shoo it away in a hurry because we know black men and women can't co-exist in a loving relationship.
A Love Supreme: Real-Life Stories of Black Love
Observations shoo that the concentrations of odd-nitrogen compounds in the stratosphere did increase during the early part of this decade and have since decreased, they say.
Energetic electrons and ozone loss
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS OPUS MOBY PEW DARE OBOE ASH DUDE TENT SKY SLUM REINS SHOO OPTS WAS AWN MAOR I ACTIVE FUHRER I RATE SOL TEE FETE TREK IMAGE ASPS TWOMARS ROAM I AN PLEA MONE MRS SLOT APSE WEE THINKER Across: 1 Mike, 4 Atone, 7 Boots, 8 Niger, 9 Paris, 10 Archetypal, 14 Images, 16 Steady, 17 Salmonella, 22 Chess, 23 Corgi, 25 Ernie, 26 Dread, 27 Byre.
pounds 500 Xword
There is music from bygone eras from the sounds of the 1920s and 1930s, from Shoo Shoo Baby, and the swinging 1950s era from The Atlantics.
Theatre and live music on the menu
His mother Claudia Cooper said: "This year Myles and Chartreuse, or Shoo Shoo as she is affectionately known, have had a tremendous season.
Better by Myles