close, but no cigar
Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word close, but no cigar. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word close, but no cigar, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say close, but no cigar in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word close, but no cigar you have here. The definition of the word close, but no cigar will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofclose, but no cigar, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: close but no cigar
English
Etymology
From the practice of giving cigars as prizes at carnivals in the United States in the 20th century; those who did not win would fail to receive a cigar, even if they came close.[1]
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkləʊs bʌt nəʊ sɪˈɡɑː/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkloʊs bʌt noʊ sɪˈɡɑɹ/
Audio (General Australian): (file) - Hyphenation: close, but no ci‧gar
Phrase
- (idiomatic, originally US, colloquial) Used to indicate that one is almost correct or has almost succeeded, but not quite.
- Synonyms: almost doesn't count, a miss is as good as a mile
- Betty ran all out in the sprint race; yet, it was close, but no cigar.
- 1929 July 2, J. C. R., “’28’s First”, in Asa S[mith] Bushnell [III], editor, Princeton Alumni Weekly, volume XXIX, number 36, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 1166, column 2:
- The long distance trophy [for alumni who had traveled the furthest to attend the reunion], an appropriately inscribed silver cigarette case, was awarded to Em Gooch who had made the trip from Lincoln, Neb. for the occasion. Several other members came close, but no cigar, and we trust that all those in New York and Philadelphia who failed to show up, without reason, will read these lines with a quiver.
Alternative forms
Translations
used to indicate that one is almost correct or has almost succeeded, but not quite
|
References
- ^ Gary Martin (1997–) “Close, but no cigar”, in The Phrase Finder.
Further reading
- “close but no cigar” under “cigar, n.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, March 2021. - “close but no cigar, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
- Colin McIntosh, editor (2013), “close, but no cigar”, in Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 4th edition, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, reproduced in the Cambridge English Dictionary website, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- “close, but no cigar”, in The Idioms: Largest Idioms Dictionary, 2021 May 10 (last accessed), archived from the original on 30 January 2021
