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win over

 - 3 dictionary results

win

1  [win] verb, won, win⋅ning, noun
Use win over in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to finish first in a race, contest, or the like.
2. to succeed by striving or effort: He applied for a scholarship and won.
3. to gain the victory; overcome an adversary: The home team won.
–verb (used with object)
4. to succeed in reaching (a place, condition, etc.), esp. by great effort: They won the shore through a violent storm.
5. to get by effort, as through labor, competition, or conquest: He won his post after years of striving.
6. to gain (a prize, fame, etc.).
7. to be successful in (a game, battle, etc.).
8. to make (one's way), as by effort or ability.
9. to attain or reach (a point, goal, etc.).
10. to gain (favor, love, consent, etc.), as by qualities or influence.
11. to gain the favor, regard, or adherence of.
12. to gain the consent or support of; persuade (often fol. by over): The speech won them over to our side.
13. to persuade to marry; gain in marriage.
14. British Mining.
a. to obtain (ore, coal, etc.).
b. to prepare (a vein, bed, mine, etc.) for working, by means of shafts or the like.
–noun
15. a victory, as in a game or horse race.
16. the position of the competitor who comes in first in a horse race, harness race, etc. Compare place (def. 27b), show (def. 27).
—Verb phrase
17. win out, to win or succeed, esp. over great odds; triumph: His finer nature finally won out.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME winnen (v.), OE winnan to work, fight, bear; c. G gewinnen, ON vinna, Goth winnan

Related forms:
win⋅na⋅ble, adjective

Synonyms:
5. obtain, secure, acquire, achieve, reach, procure. See gain 1 . 12. convince.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

win  (v.)
fusion of O.E. winnan "struggle for, work at, strive, fight," and gewinnan "to gain or succeed by struggling, to win," both from P.Gmc. *wenwanan (cf. O.S. winnan, O.N. vinna, O.Fris. winna, Du. winnen "to gain, win," Dan. vinde "to win," O.H.G. winnan "to strive, struggle, fight," Ger. gewinnen "to gain, win," Goth. gawinnen "to suffer, toil"). Perhaps related to wish, or from PIE *van- "overcome, conquer." Sense of "to be victorious" is recorded from c.1300. The noun in O.E. meant "labor, strife, conflict;" modern sense of "a victory in a game or contest" is first attested 1862, from the verb. Breadwinner (see bread) preserves the sense of "toil" in O.E. winnan. Phrase you can't win them all (1954) first attested in Raymond Chandler.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

win over

Persuade, gain one's support, as in It won't be easy to win him over to our point of view. [Late 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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