Give someone a run for their money
今天短短几个小时之内居然连续五次听到或看到give someone a run for their money，邪了！
该短语的定义见此，我觉得比较贴切的中文翻译是“有得一拼”。例句：I think only Liverpool will be able to give Manchester United a run for their money next season.
我觉得翻成“势均力敌”也马马虎虎，不过还是“有得一拼”更贴切。因为give someone a run for their money有“水平很接近，不会让对方轻松获胜，但最终还是以微弱劣势败下阵来”的意味。“势均力敌”则是完全五五开，谁都可能赢。
这个短语的来源我始终没搞清楚。有说跟跑步有关的，也有说跟赛马有关的，似乎没有官方定论。我觉得相对比较靠谱的是这个说法：
When a horse lost a close race, the consolation statement was that at least the loser gave the winner a run for his money, i.e. the prize money for winning the race.
有谁知道正确答案的，请分享。多谢！
P.S. 该短语也可作give someone a run for the money或give someone a run for his/her money，没有区别。
Bonus video: Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown - No Air (Talk about giving each other a run for their money!)
March 26th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
give sb a run for their money
我觉得应该翻成“让某人赢的没那么轻松”，“不让某人轻松取胜”。
It is clear that the sb in this phrase is definitely gonna win their money and ordinarily with no difficulties. But with some particular people, they have to actually work a little in order to win.
Yan:
你说的没错，但这个短语并非只能用在比赛的情景里，所以翻成“让某人赢的没那么轻松”或“不让某人轻松取胜”可能过于局限。“有得一拼”可以泛指双方水平、实力接近，不一定处于比赛的情景，所以我觉得更精准一些。