lay odds

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

lay odds (third-person singular simple present lays odds, present participle laying odds, simple past and past participle laid odds)

1. To offer a bet in which one stands more to lose than the opponent; or a bet in some other way favourable to the opponent.
   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:

     Prince John: "I will lay odds that, ere this year expire, / We bear our civil swords and native fire / As far as France. I heard a bird so sing, / Whose music, to my thinking, pleas'd the King."

   • 1904, Jack London, chapter 24, in The Sea-Wolf (Macmillan’s Standard Library), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC:

     "We're dead safe," he assured them with a laugh. "No salt mines this time, Smoke. But I'll tell you what -- I'll lay odds of five to one it's the Macedonia."

2. To feel certain about something.

Synonyms

• give odds

Antonyms

• take odds

Coordinate terms

• wager

Anagrams

• day-olds, old days