odds

ask no odds ask no favours. US

at odds in conflict or at variance.

2014Alf Grumble If 15 per cent of the population-the indigenous bit-are at odds over which Maori flag to fly, what are the chances of a consensus being reached on a national flag?

by all odds certainly. North American

it makes no odds it does not matter. informal, chiefly British

☞ This phrase and what's the odds below come from an earlier use of odds to mean 'difference in advantage or effect'.

lay (or give) odds

1 offer a bet with odds favourable to the other person betting.

2 be very sure about something.

☞ The opposite of lay odds in sense 1 is take odds which means 'offer a bet with odds unfavourable to the other person betting'.

odds and ends miscellaneous articles and remnants.

☞ A racier alternative formulation is odds and sods.

over the odds above what is generally considered acceptable, especially for a price. British

shout the odds: seeshout.

what's the odds? what does it matter? informal