The team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the final minute.
snatch victory from the jaws of defeat
idiomTo suddenly win a contest when it appears that loss is a foregone conclusion, to succeed in an endeavor through reversal of fortune, skill, effort, or good judgment.
Origin
The first recorded use of the phrase discovered to date is an article criticizing Representative James Seddon of Virginia for claiming that a regiment in the Mexican–American War had "snatched victory from the jaws of defeat."
Despite trailing by ten points, the captain scored twice to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
With only seconds remaining on the clock, the underdog athlete performed a miraculous final maneuver to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
- 01
get wind in one's jaws
To have too much to say; talk too much; run at the mouth; to speak one's mind or voice one's opinion about a matter; blabber
- 02
snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
To suddenly lose a contest one seemed very likely to win, especially through mistakes or bad judgment.
- 03
snatch the pebble
To fully grasp the meaning of a concept or to develop a skill to a high degree of proficiency, often that rivals some specific expert.
- 04
victory at sea
Ocean conditions that are very windblown and messy, possibly to the point of being inimical to surfing and other watersports.