Dictionary

worst comes to worst en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Originally in the form "if the worst come to the worst" with the subjunctive "if it come to" in the sense of "if the worst possible outcome should become the worst possible reality". Often used even today with the same two definite articles, and this is the only form recorded for British English in some dictionaries.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs.
   • Worst comes to worst, Curtis says I can use his room. 2018, Clare London, With A Kick Collection 2:
   • “Worst comes to worst, we'll make it to Cleveland and we can set down there and wait things out.” Gordon Rand nearly sneered, “Worst comes to worst? We'll crash and die, isn't that closer to the worst end of the possibility spectrum? 2010, Cherie Priest, Dreadnought: A Novel of the Clockwork Century:
   • You aren't doing anything anyway. Worst comes to worst you can give her some money and send her on her way. 2014, Eric Drouant, Fatal:
   • You said a couple of them are predators? Well, worst comes to worst, they can shift and eat. 2017, Crista Crown, Harper B. Cole, The Outcast Chronicles Bundle:
   • Worst comes to worst ...” Eddie finished it. “Worst comes to worst, we try Dr. One's patented homemade miracle vaccine. Stops hair loss. Stops gout. Builds muscles. Kills flus.” 2015, James Abel, White Plague:

Forms

Coordinates

push comes to shove

Translations (43)

tr daha kötüsü olursa (if a bad situation develops) · et kõige hullemal juhul (if a bad situation develops) · rm en il mender cas (if a bad situation develops) · hu ha minden kötél szakad (if a bad situation develops) · it nel peggiore dei casi (if a bad situation develops) · fr si le pire devait arriver (if a bad situation develops) · uk в найгі́ршому випа́дку (if a bad situation develops) · it alle brutte (if a bad situation develops) · pt na pior das hipóteses (if a bad situation develops) · ca si passa el pitjor (if a bad situation develops) · hu a legrosszabb esetben (if a bad situation develops) · de wenn alle Stricke reißen (if a bad situation develops) · ja 最悪の場合 (if a bad situation develops) · tt һич югында (if a bad situation develops) · fr dans le pire des cas (if a bad situation develops) · ba һис юғында (if a bad situation develops) · rm a la pira (if a bad situation develops) · nl in het slechtste geval (if a bad situation develops) · ru на худо́й коне́ц (if a bad situation develops) · ru в ху́дшем слу́чае (if a bad situation develops) · inh ца хулча даьлча (if a bad situation develops) · pl w najgorszym razie (if a bad situation develops) · nl in het ergste geval (if a bad situation develops) · gl no peor dos casos (if a bad situation develops) · cmn 大不了 (if a bad situation develops) · eo en la plej malbona okazo (if a bad situation develops) · uk на худи́й кіне́ць (if a bad situation develops) · uk в кра́йньому разі (if a bad situation develops) · sv i värsta fall (if a bad situation develops) · de wenn es zum Äußersten kommt (if a bad situation develops) · el σε ἐσχατη ἀνάγκη (if a bad situation develops) · tr çok gerekli olursa (if a bad situation develops) · nn i verste fall (if a bad situation develops) · lv ļaunākajā gadījumā (if a bad situation develops) · de schlimmstenfalls (if a bad situation develops) · de wenn es zum Schlimmsten kommt (if a bad situation develops) · fi pahimmassa tapauksessa (if a bad situation develops) · ca en el pitjor dels casos (if a bad situation develops) · pl w najgorszym wypadku (if a bad situation develops) · tr en kötü ihtimalle (if a bad situation develops) · sk v najhoršom prípade (if a bad situation develops) · nb i verste fall (if a bad situation develops) · be на благі канец (if a bad situation develops)