also ran

also-ran

Someone who is unimportant or unsuccessful. The phrase originated in horse racing. That guy is definitely an also-ran—his best days in the league are far behind him.

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

also ran

A loser. The term comes from late nineteenth-century horse racing, where it signified a horse that ran a race but failed to win, place, or show. It was later broadened to any kind of competitor—in an election or other contest—who lost.

词组	also ran
释义	also ran also-ran Someone who is unimportant or unsuccessful. The phrase originated in horse racing. That guy is definitely an also-ran—his best days in the league are far behind him. Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. also ran A loser. The term comes from late nineteenth-century horse racing, where it signified a horse that ran a race but failed to win, place, or show. It was later broadened to any kind of competitor—in an election or other contest—who lost. See also: also, ran The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: also-ran abbreviated piece of nothing a nobody be breaking a butterfly on a wheel break a butterfly on a wheel not anything to write home about not something to write home about not worth writing home about that's hardly saying much that's not saying much
随便看	in smooth water(s) in snatches in soaped-pig fashion in so/as many words insofar (in) so far as in so far as insofar as in so many words in somebody's book in somebody's day/time in somebody's keeping in somebody's pocket in somebody's presence in somebody's/something's favour in somebody's/something's stead in somebody's train in somebody's trust in some, equal, etc. measure heeby-jeebies heed heel heeled heels of, at/on the heesh