A: You were champions last year. How come you lost yesterday’s game ? B: We were really unprepared for the game, and the other team won hands down. Note: It means to “win easily, with little effort.” Many phrases have originated as jargon in the world of sport. This one came from horse racing. Jockeys need to keep a tight rein in order to encourage their horse to run. For someone who is very far ahead the others, he can afford to slacken off — drop his hands and loosen the reins — hence winning “hands down.” This is recorded from the mid-19th century. It began to be used in a figurative sense, to denote an easy win in other contexts, from the early 20th century. |