What does it mean to be described as a dark horse?

What does it mean to be described as a dark horse?

Definition of dark horse 1a : a usually little known contender (such as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing. b : an entrant in a contest that is judged unlikely to succeed. 2 : a political candidate unexpectedly nominated usually as a compromise between factions.

What is the difference between a dark horse and an underdog?

An underdog in a sporting competition is a competitor that nobody thinks will win. A dark horse in sports is an unknown team, or a team with unknown strengths that goes on to surprise people by winning or doing better than everyone expected.

Who was a dark horse nominee for president?

The First “Dark Horse” Presidential Candidate. Henry Clay ran against Polk for president and lost. James Polk went to the 1844 Democratic Convention supporting the presidential front-runner Van Buren. Polk wanted to be the vice president but became the presidential nominee by accident.

How do you use dark horse in a sentence?

1. He’s a bit of a dark horse: he was earning a fortune, but nobody knew. 2. She’s a dark horse.

What does it mean to come at you like a dark horse?

To come at someone = To approach someone aggressively. “Because I’m coming at you like a dark horse” is not standard English, is not a standard idiom, and is a misuse of “dark horse”. A “dark horse” is an idiom. It is a horse-racing term and refers to a horse in a race about which very little is known.

Is it good to be called a dark horse?

If you describe someone as a dark horse, you mean that people know very little about them, although they may have recently had success or may be about to have success.

Is being called an underdog a compliment?

Is being called an underdog a compliment? No it’s neither an insult nor a slang. It’s a proper word and is used to describe someone that has more potential than people think. They may not be everyone’s favorite or seen as the best but they have the ability to do great things.

What political party was James K. Polk?

Democratic Party
James Knox Polk/Parties

What is the opposite of dark horse?

Antonyms & Near Antonyms for dark horse. noncandidate.

Where did the term dark horse candidate come from?

A dark horse candidate was a term coined in the 19th century to refer to a candidate nominated after multiple ballots at a political party’s nominating convention. The term has survived beyond its early origins and is still sometimes used in the modern era.

What does Dark Horse mean in horse racing?

Dark horse. A dark horse is a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence, especially in a competition of some sort, or a contestant that seems unlikely to succeed. The term began as horse racing parlance for a race horse that is unknown to gamblers and thus difficult to place betting odds on.

Who was the Dark Horse for the Labour Party?

In the United Kingdom, Jeremy Corbyn, who won the 2015 Labour Party leadership election despite struggling to secure enough nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party to stand as a candidate, has also been described as a dark horse.

When was the first mention of Dark Horse?

The first known mention of the concept is in Benjamin Disraeli ‘s novel The Young Duke (1831).