I came close to winning the election, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades — This phrase is used to say that if you come close to success without succeeding, it is not good enough … The small dictionary of idiomes
Horseshoes — is an outdoor game played between two people (or two teams of two people) using four horseshoes and two stakes. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40 feet … Wikipedia
Horsehoe head — Horseshoe Horse shoe , n. 1. A shoe for horses, consisting of a narrow plate of iron in form somewhat like the letter U, nailed to a horse s hoof. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything shaped like a horsehoe, such as a U shaped bend in a river. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Horsehoe magnet — Horseshoe Horse shoe , n. 1. A shoe for horses, consisting of a narrow plate of iron in form somewhat like the letter U, nailed to a horse s hoof. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything shaped like a horsehoe, such as a U shaped bend in a river. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Horsehoe nail — Horseshoe Horse shoe , n. 1. A shoe for horses, consisting of a narrow plate of iron in form somewhat like the letter U, nailed to a horse s hoof. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything shaped like a horsehoe, such as a U shaped bend in a river. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Horsehoe nose — Horseshoe Horse shoe , n. 1. A shoe for horses, consisting of a narrow plate of iron in form somewhat like the letter U, nailed to a horse s hoof. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything shaped like a horsehoe, such as a U shaped bend in a river. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Horseshoe — Horse shoe , n. 1. A shoe for horses, consisting of a narrow plate of iron in form somewhat like the letter U, nailed to a horse s hoof. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything shaped like a horsehoe, such as a U shaped bend in a river. [1913 Webster] 3. (Zo[ … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
