dead heat, in check, veep

With everyone still waiting--and waiting, and waiting--for veep announcements, the Wall Street Journal tops its online newsbox with a new poll that puts U.S. presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain in a statistical dead heat.


Growth, Inflation in Dead Heat

Economists are divided over whether the U.S. Federal Reserve should focus more on fostering growth or keeping inflation in check, according to the latest Wall Street Journal forecasting survey.

Idioms: in check

Restrained from moving or acting; under control.
For example, The first division held the enemy in check, or Mary kept her emotions in check.
This term replaced at check and out of check, which date from the mid-1500s.

Idioms: dead heat

A contest in which the competitors are equally matched and neither can win; a tie.
For example, The two companies are in a dead heat to get a new personal computer on the market.

This term comes from 18th-century British horse racing and is still part of racing terminology. It later was transferred to other kinds of competition.

veep
n. Slang.

A vice president.

[Pronunciation of VP, abbr. of VICE PRESIDENT.]