Expiring Slang

[akirlu]

I don't know why the phrase popped into my head this afternoon, but there's an old rhetorical flourish that seems to have gone the way of the dodo while I wasn't looking: dollars to do(ugh)nuts. For those of you too young to remember, this used to be a some time hyperbolic bet, indicating that the speaker would wager actual cash against something far less valuable on the certainty of the eventual outcome of whatever was being (hypothetically) bet on. Only, it doesn't work any more. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to find that dollars to donuts is an even money bet, or worse, these days. At the very least, a doughnut is certainly not going to cost very much less than a dollar, if you're buying singletons. Soon enough, dollars to donuts will be a good indicator that the speaker thinks he's quite likely to be proved wrong, and doesn't wish to wager very much.

And speaking of yet more reasons to ditch the dollar bill.

Comments

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

We'll never get rid of the dollar bill for the same reason we'll never get rid of the penny: It makes too much sense.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Well, if we're so big on stuff that makes no sense, why can't we declare war on Canada and lose? I am so ready to be overrun by our new Canadian Overlords.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Maybe we should change the usage to "I'll wager donuts to dollars" and see how that flies.