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Glite Dictionary
to bet one's bottom dollar

to bet one's bottom dollar

5 8.0
To be very sure that something will happen
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : apostar mi último centavo
  • You can bet your bottom dollar on that.
  • bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow

Examples

  • You can bet your bottom dollar that he will arrive on time.

  • You can bet your bottom dollar that if they conclude a peace treaty with Jordan and an Interim Agreement with the Palestinians, Israel will then argue that this arrangement has fulfilled the literal terms of Resolution 242 and therefore that there is no reason for any further withdrawals.

    Academic text (2000)

  • You can bet your bottom dollar on that!

    Sleuth (1972)

  • You can bet your bottom dollar.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • And you can bet your bottom dollar on this.

    Blog text (21)

  • I'd bet my bottom dollar it was you.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The Mets fans are driving this deal, and you can bet your bottom dollar on that.

    Blog text (27)

  • I wasn't there at the beginning of the story, but you can bet your bottom dollar I'm not leaving before the end.

    Their Finest (2017)

  • Because if that wig isn't found, you can bet your bottom dollar, the sun will not come out tomorrow.

    Bad Teacher (2011)

  • If we don't, you can bet your bottom dollar that they have more crimes up their sleeves and we will regret it!

    Blog text (11)

Synonyms

to bet
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
  • Informal
∞ 2.8

To be confident that something is true or will happen

conveys absolute certainty more strongly than casual confidence
to wager
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
37 4.7

To say you are sure something will happen as if you had risked money on it

states certainty idiomatically without showing personal monetary risk
to betcha
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
  • Informal
22 9.9

To say you are sure something will happen

expresses a stronger, more absolute certainty than casual spoken forms
to take it to the bank
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
1 8.1

Be completely sure that something is true or will happen

is more absolute certainty than general strong trust
dollar to a doughnut
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
  • Archaic
1 9.9

You would bet on it because it is very likely to happen

implies absolute certainty rather than just strong confidence
to stake my bottom dollar
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
  • Informal
9.7

To risk all your money because you are sure something will happen

expresses absolute certainty without stating an actual financial risk
five will get you ten
vsto bet one's bottom dollar
  • Archaic
9.9

You say this when you are very sure something will happen

asserts absolute certainty rather than offering informal odds

Antonyms

uncertain
43 3.9

Not feeling sure or confident

doubtful
25 3.0

Not sure about something and not ready to believe it

How Certain

to bet one's bottom dollar
  • Informal
5 8.0
to think
∞ 1.0
to suspect
925 3.6

Surface Forms

bet one's bottom dollar infinitive
bet one's bottom dollar past
bet one's bottom dollar past participle
betting one's bottom dollar present participle
bets one's bottom dollar third person singular

Morphology

bet + one's + bottom + dollar

The phrase evokes the idea of wagering one’s last money (bottom dollar) so there is a recognizable metaphorical link to being very certain; the constituents 'bet' and 'dollar' give a strong hint. However, the fixed collocation 'bottom dollar' and the idiomatic sense 'absolutely sure' are not fully derivable from the parts for a B1 learner, so it remains partially but not fully transparent.

Etymology

Bet one's bottom dollar may come from the image of risking your very last coin—the bottom dollar at the bottom of your purse—because you were so sure it would win. So, to bet one's bottom dollar today means to be 'absolutely sure' of something.