Wanna gamble? You bet!

Many phrases in English have their origins in gambling. The term ‘gambling’ itself is derived from the now obsolete ‘gamen’, i.e. to play.

Some of the phrases derived from gambling, and discussed below, include:
- At sixes and sevens
- Dead Ringer
- Pass the buck
- Put my two cents in
- Shoe in
- Straight from the horse's mouth
- When the chips are down.

At sixes and sevens - disagreement, confusion

Origin: The phrase has its origins in the game of hazard (craps). The first recorded use goes back to the Middle Ages. Initially it referred to recklessness, as in betting one's fortune on a throw of the dice, but over time, it came to mean confusion and disagreement.

Dead ringer - look alike, exact

Origin: It is very likely that the phrase is derived from the expression ‘ring in’, i.e. ‘to substitute, disguise or alter’. Thus in that sense, ‘dead ringer’ basically stands for a fraudulent substitution of a look alike in a competition. For instance, certain race owners would race a horse until the odds reached a certain level, and then substitute the horse with a look-alike that was much faster. The second horse in this case would be a dead ringer of the first.
According to certain sources, the ‘ringer’ was originally a small extension used for palming cards.

The phrase is widely used in gambling, for instance a modified dice, an expert playing like a beginner, a special set of cards etc. Other uses include the substitution of a amateur sportsperson with a professional.

Pass the buck - pass responsibility to someone else

Origin: The phrase is derived from the language of poker. During the late 19th century, the dealer in a poker game was indicated using a marker, which was called a buck (probably a buck-horn handle). Thus to ‘pass the buck’ then literally meant giving someone else a chance to deal.

Another term related to buck is a ‘buck-slip’, which is a small piece of pre-printed or handwritten paper and includes a list of people to whom a memo or report is to be sent. This was common during the pre copy-machine era, where a memo would be typed and everyone on the list would initialize the buck-slip. One way to delay the document would be to ‘pass the buck’, i.e. pass the buck-slip to the next person without signing it.

A corollary to ‘pass the buck’ is a phrase popularised by President Harry Truman, ‘the buck stops here’, where he meant that the final responsibility lied with him.

Put my two cents in - state one's opinion.

Origin: The phrase is derived from the original ‘put my two bits in’ and has its origin in the game of poker. While playing the game, a small bet had to be placed before the cards were dealt. In that sense, ‘put my two cents in’ is a reference to entering an ongoing conversation by stating, through a few words, one’s opinion on the topic being discussed.

The origin of the term ‘two bits’, meaning ‘a quarter’ (twenty five cents) is also very interesting. Before the modern era, currency was gold and silver coins, with their value being equal to the metal that they contained. If the value of a product or service were lesser than that of a gold coin, it would be notched & then split into pieces, so as to make change. The coin was usually split in half, quarter or eights. The piece of eight was also called a ‘bit’ and two bits made a quarter.
The term ‘smashed to bits’ is also derived from here.

Shoe in / shoo-in - a definite winner

Origin: Because the phrase is generally spelled as ‘shoe in’, it is assumed that it is in someway related to shoes, but the actual form is ‘shoo-in’ and comes from horse-racing, where sometimes jockeys would hold back their horses so that a pre-determined horse could win.
The term originates from ‘shoo’, which means to drive someone in a particular direction.


Straight from the horse's mouth - directly from the source

Origin: Before the advent of the motor, a horse was a valuable possession, thus, before it was bought, it was essential to know everything about it, including its age, health and temperament.
Of course one could not expect to get the complete truth from the seller, but the horse or more appropriately its teeth, wouldn’t lie. The lower set of teeth in a horse would help estimate the age, while if a horse was boisterous, it would show on its teeth because of the rein marks.

When the chips are down - when the times are tough

Origin: It is derived from the practise of substituting money with chips while gambling. Thus when one is losing, the pile reduces and the number of chips go down.

There are many more phrases that have been derived from gambling; here are a few more along with their meanings.
- Dicey situation – risky, dangerous.
- Jackpot: - a large prize.
- Keeping it close to the chest – careful, confidential.
- Odds, the – probability of a specific outcome.
- Safe bet – free from risk or danger.
And of course,
- You bet - an expression of absolute agreement.