distant second

Question

Hi !  What does "distant second" mean in this context ?  "It’s all a distant second to the offers you can’t refuse"Thanks in advance   Regards

LanguageLover · Accepted Answer

Only a second away, refers to a very short period of time.

Gniagnia · Answer

Ok,

thank you very much for your help

Pieanne · Answer

Funny, I had read it differently! Here's my interpretation: There are offers you cannot refuse, and they come as first. "All that" comes as a distant second, meaning it can't compare with the first offers. I don't know if I'm right, though...

Goldmund · Answer

Dear friends,

It is my opinion that a «distant second» is a metaphor from horse-racing.

We may say that the «offer you cannot refuse» is the winner of the horse race. The offer that is next best is the second horse. There is however a great distance between the second horse and the horse that wins. The second horse is therefore a «distant second».

Kind regards,

Goldmund

Davkett · Answer

Goldmund is definitely right here. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

LanguageLover · Answer

I have to thank you all too, I had no idea ...

Davkett · Answer

Gniagnia"It’s all a distant second to the offers you can’t refuse"

Usually, however, 'it's all' would be a bit strange. If there is more than one offer (more than one horse in a race) there would most likely be one-- not all --that comes in second, in this case, far behind the offer/horse that comes in first.

If, for instance, there are four bids on buying a house, and the highest bid is $475,000, and the second is $300,000, unless the third and fourth bids are also $300,000, you wouldn't say, "They're all a distant second."

Gniagnia · Answer

Well..., I can notice it is hard to fully apprehend this sentence. And that may be because I forgot to bring a precise context. All apologies.

It comes from Propagandhi's song 'Rock For Sustainable Capitalism' :

I love that one rock video where that ******* jack-*** mohawked millionaire prances around by far the worst sausage party on earth, where by mere chance he’s caught on film shaking hands with an incredibly diverse collection of patriotic skins. I like the message it sends: With a Rebel™ yell, Just Do Exactly What You’re Told. One million douche bags can’t be wrong? “When did punk rock become so safe?” You’ll excuse me if I laugh in your face as I itemize your receipts and PowerPoint your balance sheets. I hear this year’s Vans Warped Tour is “going green!” I guess they heard that money grows on trees. Hope they ship all those ****** bands overseas like they did the factories. Music’s power to describe, compel, renew … It’s all a distant second to the offers you can’t refuse. Anyone remember when we used to believe that music was a sacred place and not some ******* bank machine? Not something you just bought and sold? How could we have been so naïve? Well, I think when all is said and done, just cuz we were young doesn’t mean we were wrong. And I’ll rock back and forth on this two-bit hobbyhorse ‘til she splinters and gives way. I’ll tend the flowers by her grave. And whisper her name. If anyone out there understands can I please see a show of hands just so I know I’m not insane? Ever get the feeling you been played? Well, that’s rock for sustainable capitalism and you know, we may face a scorched and lifeless earth, but they’re accountable to their shareholders first. That’s how the world works.

Thank you all again for your precious help.

Davkett · Answer

'Poetic license' allows for much in the way of off-beat usage.

distant second

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