Beat someone to the punch
(PW) do something before someone else can
She was going to buy the last red dress that the store had, but I beat her to the punch and bought it at first.
(thePhraseFinder)
Boxing. Landing a punch first.
I feel a song coming on:
You Beat Me To The Punch
Mary Wells
That day, I first saw you passing by
I wanted, to ask your name but I...was much too shy
But I was looking at you so hard
That you must have had a hunch.
So you came up to me and asked me my name.
You beat me to the punch
That time
You beat me to the punch
Yes you did...
(dictionary) beat to the punch
To make the first decisive move: a marketing team that beat all the competitors to the punch.
(freedictionary)
beat someone to the punch and beat someone to the draw
Fig. to do something before someone else does it. I wanted to have the new car, but Sally beat me to the punch. I planned to write a book about using the new software program, but someone else beat me to the draw.
I was thinking of applying for that job but Carol beat me to the punch.
I wanted to give my mother a camera, but my brother beat me to the punch.
Etymology: from boxing, in which good fighters are quick to react by punching (hitting) the other fighter before they are hit