dollar to a doughnut
1
9.9
- idiom
- Archaic
:
un dólar a un donut
- I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that Mr. Benz believes he did not steal this work.
Examples
-
I would bet a dollar to a doughnut that the game will end in a tie given the current scores.
-
I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that the team will win the championship this year.
-
You can count on it; I'll wager a dollar to a doughnut that she'll show up at the party.
Synonyms
∞
2.8
To be confident that something is true or will happen
37
4.7
To say you are sure something will happen as if you had risked money on it
22
9.9
To say you are sure something will happen
5
8.0
To be very sure that something will happen
1
3.7
Very likely to happen
You say this when you are very sure something will happen
Very likely to happen
To risk all your money because you are sure something will happen
Antonyms
How Certain
- Literature
202
3.4
- Informal
5
8.0
- Archaic
1
9.9
- Informal
22
9.9
2
7.4
4
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
dollar + to + a + doughnut
The phrase pairs two concrete nouns ('dollar' and 'doughnut') in a formulaic betting construction, but the intended meaning of strong confidence or a sure bet is not derivable from the literal meanings of the parts. This is an idiomatic, culture-specific rhetorical formula rather than a predictable compositional pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely not infer the expression's meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
Dollar to a doughnut may come from old American bets, where a dollar was worth much more than a doughnut, so someone who would bet a dollar against a doughnut was showing they were very sure. That's why today the phrase means you are 'certain' or would happily 'bet' on an outcome.