subs. (colloquial).—The probabilities for or against; the chance of something occurring; that which justifies the attributing of superiority to one of two or more persons or things: specifically, in betting, the excess of the amount of a bet made by one party over that of another: as ‘the ODDS against the favourite were 3 to 1.’
1591. GREENE, The Second Part of Conny-catching, in Works, vol. x. p. 83. These fellows will refuse to lay if the ODS may grow to their aduantage.
1598. SHAKESPEARE, 2 Henry IV., v. 5, 3.
| Lan. I will lay ODDS that, ere this year expire, | |
| We bear our civil swords and native fire | |
| As far as France. | |
| Ibid. (1602–3), Hamlet, v. 2. | |
| King. You know the wager? | |
| Ham. Very well, my lord; | |
| Your grace hath laid the ODDS o’the weaker side. |
1704. CIBBER, The Careless Husband, iv. Lady Betty. There’s no standing against two of you. L. Toppington. No faith, that’s ODDS at tennis.
1751. FIELDING, Amelia, x. v. If the knowing ones were here, they would lay ODDS of our side.
1754. The Connoisseur, No. 15. He has so contrived the bets on his own life, that, live or die, the ODDS are in his favour.
1818. SCOTT, Rob Roy, vi. Rashleigh alone possessed more arithmetic than was necessary to calculate the ODDS on a fighting-cock.
WHAT’S THE ODDS? phr. (colloquial).—‘What does it matter’: an intensive of recklessness and good-fellowship.
1840. DICKENS, The Old Curiosity Shop, ii. WHAT IS THE ODDS so long as the fire of soul is kindled at the taper of conviviality, and the wing of friendship never moults a feather?
1880. A. TROLLOPE, The Duke’s Children, xvii. ‘If they do send me down, WHAT’S THE ODDS?’ said the younger brother, who was not quite as sober as he might have been.
