The phrase "hands down" is spelled with an /h/ sound at the beginning, represented by the letter h. The /æ/ sound, as in "cat," is represented by the letter a, while the letter n represents the /n/ sound. The /d/ and /z/ sounds are represented by the letters d and s respectively. The phrase, which means something is an easy victory, or obvious, is commonly used in informal English, particularly in the United States.
Hands down is an idiomatic expression that is commonly used to indicate a clear and unequivocal victory or decision. It is used to stress that something or someone is unquestionably superior or the best in a given situation. When an outcome or result is described as "hands down," it implies that it has been achieved with ease, without any significant effort or challenge from competitors or other alternatives.
The success or superiority referred to by "hands down" is so apparent and conclusive that there is no need for further debate or discussion. It signifies an overwhelming victory or an obvious choice that leaves no room for doubt. This expression originated from horse racing, where jockeys could confidently drop their hands and relax the reins when they were confident of winning the race.
The use of "hands down" extends beyond sports and can be applied to any situation where one option or individual clearly surpasses others. It can describe an undisputed winner in a competition, a persuasive argument that cannot be challenged, or an individual who is widely acknowledged as the best in their field. Overall, "hands down" suggests an effortless triumph or the absence of any serious competition, leaving no doubt as to the unquestionable excellence of the subject in question.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The phrase "hands down" originated as a term used in horse racing in the early 19th century. Jockeys would often drop their hands and loosen their grip on the reins when they were confident of winning a race, as they would not need to exert much effort to secure victory. This gesture came to symbolize a certain victory or an easy win. Over time, "hands down" began to be used figuratively in general language to refer to any situation where something is achieved easily or without much opposition.