English
Etymology
The phrase comes from the world of horse race betting wherein lists of winners would be published with all non-paying positions printed in a block under the heading 'Also Ran:'.
Noun
en-noun|sg=also-ran
- A person or animal who competed in a race but did not win.
- Figuratively, a loser; one soon to be forgotten.
Quotations
1960: It also turned Palmer from an also-ran into a challenger. � 'Nerves of Steel', The New York Times, 18 June, 1960
1978: some of Mr. Scorsese's accomplishments have been so stunning�that it's impossible to view "The Last Waltz" as anything but an also-ran. � Janet Maslin, The New York Times, review of The Last Waltz, April 26, 1978
1993: And, of course, it is also far easier, quicker, and less embarrassing to dismiss an also-ran over the phone than it is in person � Martin Yate , Hiring the Best, Adams Media, 1993, page 58
1998: as the drug came out of the R&D laboratory, it could have been just another also-ran � Richard C Dorf, The Technology Management Handbook, CRC Press, 1998, page 3-40
2004: The transition from comer to also-ran can be quick � The New Yorker, August 9 & 16, 2004, p.40
See also
underdog
vi:also-ran
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