After we missed the final target, Dad told us, 'close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades,' to remind us that being nearly right isn't always good enough.

I know you're excited about the grant, but don't count your chickens before they're hatched — wait until the award is official.

The old countinghouses along the river once hummed with the busy trade of merchants.

The old countinghouse at the end of the lane still held ledgers dating back a century.