ANSWER: Shoo-In or Shoe-In?

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Which is the correct spelling: "Shoo-in" or "Shoe-In"?

With examples from the X-Files:


There are several references to describe a sure winner, but the correct spelling for this particular phrase (according to Dictionay.com, Oxford English Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster.com), is shoo-in. It is usually spelled with a hyphen and is defined as: a person or thing that is certain to win or succeed, especially someone who is certain to win a competition.

Mulder placed his bet on the banker's horse, as it was rumored to be a shoo-in for the fourth race.

"You do know that Agent Parker is going get the job, right?" Scully didn't respond to Mulder's opinion, although she was tempted to agree with him. "With his connections," Mulder added, "He's a natural shoo-in."

The phrase was first introduced in the 1930s, and this source gives us an idea of how it came to be:

This expression purportedly comes from the practice of corrupt jockeys holding their horses back and shooing a preselected winner across the finish line to guarantee that it will win. A “shoo-in” is now an easy winner, with no connotation of dishonesty. “Shoe-in” is a common misspelling.

To reiterate, shoo-in is used mainly as a phrase for a clear win, such as the horse race in the example above (the jockey shooing his horse toward the finish line), or earning a promotion (Agent Parker's connections shooing him/her toward a new office). Never use shoe-in to indicate a clear shot at winning something as it is the incorrect spelling of the phrase.

Comments

[alexisjane.livejournal.com]

Oooo, I did not know that! Thank you : ) x

[lmichelle599.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Never thought about this. :)

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this. I hadn't thought about it but I realised when I saw it that I had no idea which one was correct.