nine times out of ten en · ADV
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, not-comparable) Very often, mostly, most of the time.
Hawk-eyed bus-tour agents mounting watch at the intersections, flaunting printed signs tucked in the bands of their visored caps to advertise their business, claim they can spot the hickster nine times out of ten.
1960, William Garland Rogers, Mildred Weston, Carnival crossroads: the story of Times Square:
- (not-comparable) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see nine, times, out of, ten.
Synonyms
more often than not (most of the time)