ifs and ans en · NOUN
Etymology
From the old rhyme "if 'ifs' and 'ans' were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers" (and variations). Compare if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. See an in archaic sense meaning "if".
Meanings
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(plural, plural-only) hypotheticals; counterfactuals; things that one only wishes were the case
And yet such is the constitution of the human golfing soul that it not only fails to achieve it, but invents for itself multiform and manifold ifs and ans for not achieving it— […]
1912, Percy Adolphus Vaile, The Soul of Golf:Away with these ifs and ans, Hans, and these et caeteraes, by mine honor Rowland Lacy none but the king shall wrong thee: […]
c. 1599, Thomas Dekker, The Shoemaker's Holiday:"Oh!" quoth the Emperor, "Oh, excellent oats! . . . you feed your horses upon ifs and ans. The man that invented ifs and ans certainly made gold of chopped straw! […]
1865, The Musical World, page 46:
Relateds
ifs, ands, or buts · ifs and buts · if ifs and ans were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers' hands