in the home stretch
finishing the last part of a job
TRANSLATION
in the home stretch = auf der Zielgeraden --- GOOGLE INDEX in the home stretch: approximately 500,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Violent video games, climate change and a million Wal-Mart Stores Inc. employees will preoccupy the U.S. Supreme Court IN THE HOMESTRETCH of its nine-month term.
(BusinessWeek magazine)
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Immigration Bill IN THE HOME STRETCH
(New York Times headline)
(BusinessWeek magazine)
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Immigration Bill IN THE HOME STRETCH
(New York Times headline)
Did you
know?
in the homestretch
idiom
- the last part of an activity or campaign
(Oxford Dictionary)
---
Horse race announcers utilize a unique lexicon to describe the progress of the races they call. Many of these terms and phrases have found their way into the English language in the form of idioms.
In the homestretch, or down the homestretch, is a typical example. As the horses make their way around the last turn of the oval track and head to the finish line, this part of the track is called the homestretch. The straight part of the track opposite the viewing stands is called the backstretch.
In excited voices, the track announcers yell out phrases such as:
- Admiral's Son is off and running! = this horse has gotten off to a good start (like the start a project for instance)
- as they make the first turn, the pack is jockeying for position! = the pack is the entire group of horses and to jockey for position means the jockeys are strategically positioning their horses (people also jockey for position, such as when competing for a job or a promotion)
- down the homestretch, it's Lucy Bell and Admiral's Son neck and neck! = the two horses are running even, just like politicians in an election campaign.
- it's coming down to the wire! = the race is very close as the horses near the finish line, or the wire as it is called. Figuratively speaking any kind of decision can come down to the wire.
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"After two weeks of travel, I'm glad to be in the homestretch."
idiom
- the last part of an activity or campaign
(Oxford Dictionary)
---
Horse race announcers utilize a unique lexicon to describe the progress of the races they call. Many of these terms and phrases have found their way into the English language in the form of idioms.
In the homestretch, or down the homestretch, is a typical example. As the horses make their way around the last turn of the oval track and head to the finish line, this part of the track is called the homestretch. The straight part of the track opposite the viewing stands is called the backstretch.
In excited voices, the track announcers yell out phrases such as:
- Admiral's Son is off and running! = this horse has gotten off to a good start (like the start a project for instance)
- as they make the first turn, the pack is jockeying for position! = the pack is the entire group of horses and to jockey for position means the jockeys are strategically positioning their horses (people also jockey for position, such as when competing for a job or a promotion)
- down the homestretch, it's Lucy Bell and Admiral's Son neck and neck! = the two horses are running even, just like politicians in an election campaign.
- it's coming down to the wire! = the race is very close as the horses near the finish line, or the wire as it is called. Figuratively speaking any kind of decision can come down to the wire.
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"After two weeks of travel, I'm glad to be in the homestretch."
