A Pyrrhic victory is defined as a victory that comes at such devastating cost that it is a victory in name only. In truth, it is a lost battle, masquerading as a win. Our language does not seem to have an expression for the opposite situation — a won battle, masquerading as a loss. I am not the only one to have noted this linguistic asymmetry (see here and here, for example).
A “reverse Pyrrhic” scenario came to mind in reviewing the U.S. District Court’s denial of Anytime Fitness’ late 2009 motion for a temporary restraining order. Anytime Fitness lost the motion, but given the Court’s finding in its favor on likelihood of success on the merits, at a minimum this should be a loss that Anytime can live with. Opinion after the break.
Anytime Fitness v Delameter Denial of TRO