← Back to collection
Region: General | Usage example: Her testimony carried the day in the debate.

Carry the day

Meaning

Win the victory or gain the advantage.

Usage

Used in debates, elections, or any situation where one side prevails.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Military origins describing the side that won on a given day.

Used in 18th-century battle accounts before becoming a general idiom.