damned if one does and damned if one doesn't en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic, informal, not-comparable) Of a situation where either choice results in a negative outcome.
If John leaves for New York to follow his career, his father will disinherit him. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Damned if I do and damned if I don't.
You can and you can't—You shall and you shan't—You will and you won't—And you will be damned if you do—And you will be damned if you don't.
1836, Lorenzo Dow, Reflections on the Love of God (1836), ch. 6, p. 30 (on the doctrine of Particular Election)
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| one's damned if one does, and one's damned if one doesn't | alternative | lexicographic | |
| one's damned if one does and one's damned if one doesn't | alternative | lexicographic | |
| damned if one does, and damned if one doesn't | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
Ginsberg's theorem · can't do right for doing wrong
Translations (20)
fr quoi que je fasse, ce n'est jamais bon (dilemma with bad outcomes) · ru куда́ ни кинь, всю́ду клин (dilemma with bad outcomes) · es palos porque bogas, palos porque no bogas (dilemma with bad outcomes) · it comunque ti giri, sbagli (dilemma with bad outcomes) · hu egyik kutya, másik eb (dilemma with bad outcomes) · hu melyik ujjamba harapjak (bele) (dilemma with bad outcomes) · eo tiel aĉe, kaj tiel malbone (dilemma with bad outcomes) · hu melyik ujjamat harapjam (meg/le) (dilemma with bad outcomes) · it fa' così e non va bene, fa' cosà e non va bene uguale (dilemma with bad outcomes) · fr c'est un choix cornélien (dilemma with bad outcomes) · it dove ti giri ti giri, sbagli (dilemma with bad outcomes) · pl i tak źle, i tak niedobrze (dilemma with bad outcomes) · pt se correr o bicho pega, se ficar o bicho come (dilemma with bad outcomes) · fi kusessa joka tapauksessa (dilemma with bad outcomes) · hu ha van rajtad sapka, az a baj, ha nincs, akkor az (dilemma with bad outcomes) · fi pulassa joka tapauksessa (dilemma with bad outcomes) · fr on est perdant dans tous les cas (dilemma with bad outcomes) · tl sala sa init, sala sa lamig (dilemma with bad outcomes) · fr la peste ou le choléra (dilemma with bad outcomes) · tr aşağı tükürsen sakal, yukarı tükürsen bıyık (dilemma with bad outcomes)