photo finish

• Arrivée d'une course où les concurrents sont si proches que le résultat ne peut être déterminé qu'à l'aide d'une photographie de la ligne d'arrivée ; s'emploie aussi au sens figuré pour désigner toute compétition extrêmement serrée.

A finish of a race in which the winners are so close that a photograph of the finish line is needed to determine the result; also used figuratively to describe any extremely close competition.

1. Close race resultB2formal

   A finish of a race in which the winner is determined by examining a photograph taken at the finish line, indicating an extremely close result.

   photo d'arrivée

   • The horse race was so close it required a photo finish to determine the winner.
   • The sprinters crossed the line together, leading to a photo finish.
   • In a photo finish, the runner from Jamaica was declared the winner by a fraction of a second.

2. Very close competitionB2informal

   Any competition or contest where the outcome is extremely close and uncertain until the very end.

   Photo finish

   • The election was a real photo finish, with both candidates neck and neck.
   • The final match was a photo finish, decided by a single point.
   • The business deal was a photo finish, signed just before the deadline.