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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

be someone's to lose en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To be anticipated to be won by someone.
    • The debate continues around England's goalkeeping position with Everton's Jordan Pickford out injured but he has been Southgate's favoured keeper for some time so it still seems to be his position to lose if he is fit. 2021 March 28, Phil McNulty, “Albania 0-2 England”, in BBC Sport:
    • Widely considered the favorite, the election is his to lose, but an upset is still possible if a scandal emerges.
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see be, someone's, to, lose.
    • “Eventually,” Maddie continued, “my dad did lose everything, including money that wasn't his to lose. […] 2014, Karen Foley, Hard to Hold (Harlequin Blaze), Harlequin, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 214:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
been someone's to lose Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
is someone's to lose Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
was someone's to lose Tense=Past lexicographic
being someone's to lose Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic