doughnut

be dollars to doughnuts that (something happens)

To be assured or certain to happen. The idea is that one is so confident in a particular outcome that they would bet money against something less valuable. It's dollars to donuts that Kevin will be late tonight—he's never on time.

See also: dollar, doughnut, that, to

bet you dollars to doughnuts

I assure you (that something will happen, with so much confidence that I would bet money against something less valuable). I lost my umbrella, so I bet you dollars to doughnuts that it rains tomorrow! Oh, I bet you dollars to doughnuts that Kevin will be late tonight—he's never on time!

See also: bet, dollar, doughnut, to

blow (one's) doughnuts

slang To vomit, especially very suddenly or profusely. I got so seasick out on that boat. I felt like I was going to blow my doughnuts at any second! The rookie saw blood for the first time and blew his doughnuts right there at the crime scene.

See also: blow, doughnut

dollars to doughnuts

I assure you (that something will happen, with so much confidence that I would bet money against something less valuable). I lost my umbrella. Dollars to donuts it rains tomorrow! Dollars to donuts that Kevin will be late tonight—he's never on time.

See also: dollar, doughnut, to

lose (one's) doughnuts

slang To vomit suddenly and profusely. I got so seasick out on that boat, I felt like I was going to lose my doughnuts at any second. The rookie saw blood for the first time and lose his doughnuts right there at the crime scene.

See also: doughnut, lose

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

bet someone dollars to doughnuts

Fig. to bet something of value against something worth considerably less. I bet you dollars to doughnuts that she is on time. He bet me dollars to doughnuts that it would snow today.

See also: bet, dollar, doughnut, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

dollars to doughnuts, it's

It's a virtual certainty, as in It's dollars to doughnuts that the team will make the playoffs. This metaphoric term pits dollars against doughnuts as in a bet. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

See also: dollar, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

dollars to doughnuts

AMERICAN

If you say that it is dollars to doughnuts that something will happen, you mean that you are certain it will happen. Note: `Doughnuts' is sometimes spelled `donuts' in this expression. It's dollars to doughnuts that the bank of the future will charge more for its services. Well, I'll bet you, Alex, almost dollars to donuts that I'll wake up at 3am, as I do every morning now.

See also: dollar, doughnut, to

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

be dollars to doughnuts that

be a certainty that. North American informal

1936 James Curtis The Gilt Kid If he were seen it was dollars to doughnuts that he would be arrested.

See also: dollar, doughnut, that, to

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

bet someone dollars to doughnuts

tv. to bet something of value against something worth considerably less. I bet you dollars to doughnuts that she is on time.

See also: bet, dollar, doughnut, someone, to

blow one’s doughnuts

and lose one’s doughnuts (...ˈdonəts)

tv. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. The stuff was so vile, I thought I would blow my doughnuts. I felt better after I lost my doughnuts.

See also: blow, doughnut

lose one’s doughnuts

verb

See blow one’s doughnuts

See also: doughnut, lose

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

dollars to doughnuts

Absolutely, certainly. This expression is most often preceded by the verb “to bet” and indeed comes from wagering. If someone is willing to bet dollars against doughnuts, he or she is absolutely sure of winning, the pastries being considered worthless compared to hard cash. The term began to be employed in the late 1800s. F. W. Bronson used it in Nice People Don’t Kill (1940), “You can bet a dollar to a doughnut.” Alliteration no doubt helped it to survive.

See also: dollar, doughnut, to

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer

dollars to doughnuts

Stakes for a bet on a certain outcome. In the days when a dollar was worth more than it is now and a doughnut cost considerably less, someone who was reasonably sure that an event would happen might preface his comment with “Dollars to doughnuts . . .” as in “Dollars to doughnuts, it'll rain before nightfall.”

See also: dollar, doughnut, to

Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price