a deuce of a

a deuce of a (something)

An exceptionally bad or difficult thing, activity, or person. This is a deuce of an assignment—I can't understand the first thing about it! Boy, that is a deuce of a haircut. You're going to go out in public like that? We had a deuce of a time convincing Grandpa to go to the doctor for that bad cough.

See also: deuce, of

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a (or the) deuce of a —

something very bad or difficult of its kind.

1933 John Galsworthy The End of the Chapter It seems there's a deuce of a fuss in the Bolivian papers.

See also: deuce, of

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