WIN

[verb] winning, past won - to achieve first position and/or get a prize in a competition or competitive situationWhich year was it that Italy won the World Cup? [T]He won first prize/a bottle of gin in the raffle. [T]Who's winning? [I]This is the third medal she's won this season. [T]Who won the men's finals in the tennis? [T]She'll win easily. [I]They won the war, although it cost them millions of lives. [T]If this government win the next election I'm leaving the country. [T]I think you won that argument, Peter. [T]It was his goal that won us the match/won the match for us. [+ two objects]Remember, it's not the winning that counts!Her firm have just won (= beaten other companies to get) a cleaning contract worth £3 million. [T]You win something positive, such as approval, loyalty, affection or love, by receiving it because you have earned it.He won a lot of support in the south of the country because of his agricultural policies. [T]This is Jamie, the four-year old who won the hearts of the nation (= made everyone love him and/or feel sympathy for him). [T]She would do anything to win his love! [T]Winning back his trust was the hardest part. [M](informal) Someone might say you can't win, meaning you can't succeed whatever you try to do.If I'm quiet he says I'm miserable and if I'm joking and having fun he says I'm being stupid - I just can't win!He won hands down (= very easily.)If you win someone over/round you succeed in getting their support or in making them agree to something, often when they were opposed to you before.He's not sure about the idea at the moment, but I'm sure we'll win him over in the end.They've won over a lot of the electorate since she's been leader of the party.In the end it was the Italians who won the day (= succeeded/beat all the others) with their catchy little song 'It's all for you'.(esp. UK and ANZ) Most people are fairly confident that the workers will win through (US usually win out) (= succeed after great effort) in the end.It's a shame you didn't get the job - oh well, I suppose you can't win them all!/(you) win some, (you) lose some! (= you can't succeed in everything you do!)You might say (okay,) you win to someone who has persuaded you to do something that you did not intend to do, esp. when they have used force to persuade you and you are not pleased.Okay, you win, I can't stand to hear one more complaint from you - we'll go home tomorrow!