be someone's to lose

English

Verb

be someone's to lose (third-person singular simple present is someone's to lose, present participle being someone's to lose, simple past was someone's to lose, past participle been someone's to lose)

1. (idiomatic) To be anticipated to be won by someone.

   Widely considered the favorite, the election is his to lose, but an upset is still possible if a scandal emerges.

   • 2021 March 28, Phil McNulty, “Albania 0-2 England”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     The debate continues around England's goalkeeping position with Everton's Jordan Pickford out injured but he has been Southgate's favoured keeper for some time so it still seems to be his position to lose if he is fit.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see be,‎ someone's,‎ to,‎ lose.
   • 2014, Karen Foley, Hard to Hold (Harlequin Blaze)‎^[2], Harlequin, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 214:

     “Eventually,” Maddie continued, “my dad did lose everything, including money that wasn't his to lose. […]