leave someone in the dust
To completely overtake a competitor.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She runs so fast that she leaves everyone in the dust.”
“He leaves his friends in the dust when they play video games together.”
“With their new technology, the company left all of its competitors in the dust.”
“If you don't keep practicing your piano scales, the other students in the class will leave you in the dust during the final exam.”
“By consistently innovating while others remained stagnant, the startup eventually left the industry giants in the dust.”
The expression appears in the 17th century, though its original application was somewhat more literal. To leave something in the dust was to abandon it upon the dirt ground, a matter of simple desertion rather than a contest of speed.
By the late 19th century, the sense shifted toward competition. The imagery moved from the static dirt of the road to the airborne clouds kicked up by a faster runner, horse, or vehicle. One was no longer merely left behind; one was left to contend with the particulate matter of a superior opponent.
- 01
as if someone owns the place
Alternative form of like someone owns the place.
- 02
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 03
beat the dust
To perform curvets too precipitately or too low.
- 04
bite the dust
To die.
- 05
bless someone with
To give or bestow, as a gift from God.
- 06
bring someone to their knees
To defeat and make submit to orders.
- 07
bust the dust
To clean dust off something, such as with a vacuum cleaner.
- 08
call someone every name in the book
To call someone many abusive names.
Last updated August 10, 2026