Sew up
Meaning
To successfully complete, finalize, or secure something, especially a deal, a victory, or a situation.
Origin
The phrase "sew up" takes its vivid imagery directly from the painstaking craft of a tailor or surgeon. When a seamstress meticulously closes a garment with a final, secure stitch, or a surgeon carefully mends a wound, they are bringing something to a definitive, complete, and unassailable state. This precise act of finishing and securing, ensuring no loose threads or openings remain, was adopted metaphorically by the 19th century. It began to describe the triumphant conclusion of a complex negotiation, the securing of a decisive victory, or the finalization of a challenging project, implying that all details were perfectly handled and the outcome was firmly sealed.
Examples
- After months of intense negotiations, the legal team finally managed to sew up the big merger.
- The candidate needs to win a few more swing states to sew up the election and secure their victory.