English / idiom
Beat Someone to the Punch
MEANING IN ENGLISH
To do or say something before someone else has the chance to do it.
In context
01
I was planning to pitch the innovative research topic, but my classmate beat me to the punch.
02
Our lab wanted to publish the findings first, but a rival university beat us to the punch.
Synonyms
preempt,anticipate,get the jump on
Antonyms
lag behind,miss out,hesitate
Collocations
beat the competition to the punch,managed to beat them to the punch