dark horse
Someone who possesses talents or favorable characteristics that are not known or…Someone who possesses talents or favorable characteristics that are not known or expected by others.
» The dark horse candidate was losing in the polls before the primary.
Meaning
4 senses(idiomatic)Someone who possesses talents or favorable characteristics that are not known or expected by others.
тёмная лоша́дкаtjómnaja lošádka
темна конячкаtemna konjačka
(idiomatic)A candidate for an election who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.
тёмная лоша́дкаtjómnaja lošádka
a political candidate who is not well known but could win unexpectedly
A horse whose capabilities are not known.
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see dark, horse.
Examples
1 sentencesThe dark horse candidate was losing in the polls before the primary.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Originally an allusion to an unknown horse with a dark coat winning a race, as used in theOriginally an allusion to an unknown horse with a dark coat winning a race, as used in the 1831 novel The Young Duke by Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: dark horses| Singular | dark horse |
|---|---|
| Plural | dark horses |
regular