- to compete against someone or something for first or highest position Will the rest of the country find these teams interesting enough to watch them slug it out on TV for seven games? Two new mystery novels are slugging it out in the bookstores.
shroud in
- to wrap or conceal someone or something in something. They shrouded Mr. Carlson in sailcloth and prepared him for burial at sea. They shrouded the decision in a series of formalities.
throw in the towel
- to admit defeat or failure The union was forced to throw in the towel and settle their bitter dispute with the company.
