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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

a pound to a penny en · ADV

Meanings

  1. (UK, idiomatic, not-comparable) Very likely; almost certainly.
    • "I'll lay you a pound to a penny that proud Miss Nelly marries John Ormandy in the end." c. 1872, Holme Lee (pseudonym of Harriet Parr), “Too Prudent by Half; or, Proud Nelly Kingsland”, in Country Stories, Old and New. In Prose and Verse, volume 1, Smith, Elder & Co., published 1872, page 265:
    • Mrs. Seaton raised her eyebrows. "What does she think will happen? She might respect what you have to say, but I'll put a pound to a penny no one else at that table will." 2015, Rachel Brimble, chapter 17, in What a Woman Desires, →ISBN, page 160:
    • ...and where was out boy? ...Discharged early from the National Service in Cyprus! A pound to a penny he was home with Mum... 2010, P. F Bonneton, The Seeds of Time, →ISBN, page 150:

Synonyms

bet one's boots · bet a dollar to a dime · bet dollars to donuts · take to the bank · bet one's bottom dollar · bet the farm