To Win Once Meant to Struggle
A winner comes first. The Old English verb meant to fight or toil, and winning as succeeding developed out of the effort.
A winner is the one who comes first or succeeds. The Old English *winnan* meant to labour, struggle or fight — the effort, not the outcome. The sense of achieving victory grew out of the sense of striving for it. A trace survives in *winsome*, which is unrelated to winning and comes from an old word for joy.
- One who wins. *The outright winner.*
- A successful thing. *That idea is a winner.*
- Prize winner — one awarded a prize. *A prize winner three years running.*
- Win-win — good for everyone. *A win-win outcome.*
- Winnings — money won. *He collected his winnings.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | win | Win the race. |
| Past | won | They won easily. |
| Agent | winner | A clear winner. |
| Plural noun | winnings | Modest winnings. |
| Unrelated | winsome | A winsome smile. |
- The winner was announced at midnight.Competition.
- The new menu is a winner.Informal praise.
- They won by a single point.Past tense: won.
Win phrases
- Win over — persuade
- Win out — succeed in the end
- Win-win — beneficial to all parties
- You can't win them all — a consolation
- Winning streak — consecutive victories
Old English *winnan*, to labour or fight, plus the agent ending -er. The sense of gaining victory is recorded from the 1300s.
Is winsome related to winner?
No. Winsome comes from an Old English word for joy or pleasure, not from winning.
Did win once mean to fight?
Yes. The Old English verb meant to struggle or toil, and victory was what the struggle was for.