shoulda

coulda, woulda, shoulda

An informal phrase used to dismiss someone's regrets or worries about a past experience. I wish I had given myself an extra day off before going back to work after my vacation, but coulda, woulda, shoulda. A: "Should I have said more during that presentation?" B: "Eh, coulda, woulda, shoulda. It's over now, so there's nothing more you can do."

See also: shoulda

I shoulda stayed in bed

I should not have bothered doing this because it wasn't worth the time or effort. "Shoulda" is a colloquial shortening of "should have." Primarily heard in US. We got trounced at our football game this morning—I shoulda just stayed in bed. A: "So, what did you think of the opera, Dad?" B: "Eh, waste of a Sunday if you ask me. I shoulda stayed in bed."

See also: bed, shoulda, stay

I shoulda stood in bed

I should not have bothered doing this because it wasn't worth the time or effort. The phrase, a pun on "I should have stayed in bed," is attributed to Joe Jacobs, who was quoted as saying it after attending a baseball game. Primarily heard in US. We got trounced at our football game this morning—I shoulda just stood in bed. A: "So, what did you think of the opera, Dad?" B: "Eh, waste of a Sunday if you ask me. I shoulda stood in bed."

See also: bed, shoulda, stood

I shoulda stood in bed

I shouldn't have bothered. This remark came from prizefight manager Joe Jacobs, who in 1935 saw his first baseball game, the opening game of the World Series between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs. It was a very cold day, and when asked what he thought of baseball, Jacobs replied, “I should have stood in bed.” The Cubs might have heeded that advice, because despite winning that opening game, they went on to lose the Series four games to two.

See also: bed, shoulda, stood