run for one's money
The idiom 'run for one's money' likely originates from horse racing, where a competitor provides a strong challenge to an expected winner.
Definition
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)A situation where one faces a strong challenge or close competition.
Example
- The underdog team gave the champions a run for their money in the final match.
C1General
(dated, idiomatic)A fair opportunity to succeed or escape harm, especially in a tough situation.
Example
- Despite the odds, he had a run for his money and managed to escape unscathed.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "run for one's money":
run for one's lifemake a run for itrun torun aboutrun againstrun intake a run atrun withrun for the rosesrun afterrun behindrun onrun for the exercisein the runningcome runningrun away withrun in withrun acrossrun out onrun throughrun upgo for brokerun offrun awayrun aroundon the runrun backplay moneyrat runrun overrun off onrat racerun on fumesbig moneycut and runrunning the gauntlet