ifs and ans

proverb Things that are possible or hypothetical. Comes from the phrase, "If ifs and ans were pots and pans, there'd be no work for tinkers('s hands)." "An" here is an archaic word meaning "if." Stop focusing so much on ifs and ans and set your sights on the here and now! A: "If only my parents would give me a car, life would be so much easier." B: "Yeah, well, ifs and ans, right?" A: "If I could just work less and make more money." B: "Well, sure, those are some lovely ifs and ans."