win back

Verb

win back (third-person singular simple present wins back, present participle winning back, simple past and past participle won back)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To win (something) that one has previously lost.
   • He lost $1000 in one hand, and spent most of the night trying to win it back.
   • A lovely crisp exhaust: a feeling of almost unlimited power combined with complete freedom of running: and, to crown it all, a most melodious and wholly American chime whistle—these were my immediate impressions as we stormed rapidly out of Göttingen, intent on winning back some of the lost time.1960 October, P. Ransome-Wallis, “Modern motive power of the German Federal Railway: Part Two”, in Trains Illustrated, page 611
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To regain favour (with).
   • Illinois Sen. Barack Obama talks with Renee Montagne about his call for Democrats to reach out to evangelical Christians. Republicans have long laid claim to that powerful voting block. He believes that Democrats can win them back with issues like the drive to end poverty.2006 July 14, “Obama Works to Win Evangelicals Back for Democrats”, in npr
   • "The short-term contract comes with the expectation that AWC will continue to win back the confidence of passengers, with a particular focus on more reliable weekend services, continued reductions in cancellations, and improvements in passenger information during planned and non-planned disruption."2023 April 5, Mel Holley, “Network News: Avanti contract extended, but 'still more work to do'”, in RAIL, number 980, page 6
3. (idiomatic, transitive) To get (someone) to be one's partner, after having been apart.
   • John, my ex-boyfriend, said he wanted to see me again, so I told him how much I wanted him in an effort to win him back.