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to gain ground
01
to achieve more success or popularity
What is the origin of the idiom "gain ground" and when to use it?
The idiom "gain ground" is a military metaphor that refers to gaining territory or advancing forward in a battle or war. It implies that progress is being made towards a goal and that the enemy is losing ground. The phrase has since been used in a broader sense to describe making progress towards a goal, achieving more success, or popularity in a particular area.
Example
The soldiers closed in hand-to-hand combat, fighting fiercely to gain ground.
After falling behind in the polls, the candidate's new policies helped them gain ground with voters.
The rugby team's strategy relied on accurate bombs to gain ground.
The army launched a relentless onslaught against enemy positions, pushing them back and gaining ground.
As the race progressed, he managed to run fourth, gradually gaining ground on the leaders.