it ain't over till/until the fat lady sings

it ain't over till/until the fat lady sings

The final outcome cannot be assumed or determined until a given situation, event, etc., is completely finished. ("Ain't" is a colloquial contraction of "is not.") The phrase refers to the stereotypically stout female sopranos of the opera, particularly the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, whose aria concludes Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. It is often used in reference to organized competitions, such as sporting events, political elections, etc. A: "We're down by six points with only two minutes remaining. There's no way we can win now!" B: "Hey, it ain't over till the fat lady sings!" It's not looking likely that the senator will be elected to another term, but it ain't over until the fat lady sings. Why are you being so pessimistic? Have some faith—it ain't over till the fat lady sings!

See also: fat, lady, over, sing, till, until

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

it ain’t/it’s not ˌover till the fat lady ˈsings

(saying) used near the end of a competition, race, etc. to say that it is not finished yet, especially when you think that the person/team who is losing still have a chance to win: Some people think he’s already lost the election, but it ain’t over till the fat lady sings, you know!This refers to the fact that some operas end with a woman singing before she dies.

See also: fat, lady, not, over, sing, till

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017