lose ground

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lose ground (third-person singular simple present loses ground, present participle losing ground, simple past and past participle lost ground)

1. (idiomatic) To suffer loss or disadvantage; to experience a setback.

   He lost ground in his career due to his illness.

   They are losing ground to foreign competitors every year.

   • 2014 November 14, Stephen Halliday, “Scotland 1-0 Republic of Ireland: Maloney the hero”, in The Scotsman‎:

     The pre-match mantra from the Scotland camp may have been of it not being a “must win” game but that fooled no-one, Poland’s win in Georgia earlier last night simply crystallised how vital it was for the Scots not to lose any more ground at this stage of an intensely competitive campaign.

   Antonym: gain ground

• give ground