beat to the punch
Strike before they
To beat someone to the punch is to act before they do, especially when you're both trying to accomplish the same thing.
The expression comes from boxing, where landing a punch before your opponent can strike gives you a decisive advantage.
I was going to ask her out, but my roommate beat me to the punch.
We wanted to file the patent first, but a competitor beat us to the punch by three days.
- forestallPrevent by prior action
- nip in the budStop at the start
- preemptAct to prevent
- anticipateExpect beforehand
- overtakePass while moving faster
outdo · advantage · outmaneuver · get the drop on · jump the gun · quick on the draw · outpace · outwit · trump · blindside · catch off guard · take by surprise · outrun · intercept · proactive · outsprint · outstrip · steal a march
beat to the punchlag behind
Fail to keep pace
miss the boat · trail · come up short · play catch-up · fall behind
beat, beats, beating, beaten, beater, beaters, punch, punches, punched