The most important thing is not to admit defeat until you really have to.

最重要的事就是非到不得已不要认输。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

Many of them lost their jobs during the financial crisis in late 2008, but decided not to go home, not wanting to admit defeat in Beijing.

很多人在2008年下半年的金融危机中失了业，但决定不回家，不想承认在北京遇到了挫折。

youdao

Adhere to the two text rule; Admit defeat if you have not received a reply after 12 hours and two texts.

——坚持“两条短信”的原则，如果给一个人发过两条短信，但在12个小时内没收到回复，那就承认自己发错了吧。

youdao

I go the most direct way. Anyone who eats crow has to admit a mistake or defeat.

VOA: special.2010.06.13

Only now that Germany and France (along with Italy and Portugal) look set to breach the budget-deficit limits imposed by the pact, does the EU look ready to admit defeat and delay the deadline by a couple of years.

ECONOMIST: The fragile world recovery | The

While it was possible - just - for the Conservatives to admit defeat in 1992 and leave the ERM, it has become impossible for European and US politicians to defend anything other than the brittle front line of globalisation.

BBC: Thinking outside the 1930s box

My guess is the various owners of the intellectual property leaking onto the Internet will admit defeat and form an uber-licensing agency, like ASCAP, that will collect a monthly fee in exchange for nearly universal access to music, movies and other forms of entertainment.

FORBES: Magazine Article