AHEAD OF THE GAME

adv. or adj. phr. , informal 1. In a position of advantage; winning (as in a game or contest); ahead (as by making money or profit); making it easier to win or succeed. The time you spend studying when you are in school will put you ahead of the game in college. After Tom sold his papers, he was $5 ahead of the game. 2. Early; too soon; beforehand. When Ralph came to school an hour early, the janitor said, "You're ahead of the game." John studies his lessons only one day early; if he gets too far ahead of the game, he forgets what he read.