All Lombard Street to a China orange
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Overwhelming odds in favour of one outcome; a near certainty. A colourful but obscure betting metaphor. It may be used for odds either stated explicitly or implied by context. Regional use: British English, especially London and sporting language.
Origin
Lombard Street stood for the concentrated wealth of London's banking world, while a China orange was a small, inexpensive stake. Thomas Moore used a variant in 1819 and observed that 'Lombard Street to a China orange' was the usual form. The extravagant comparison became a way to price an almost foregone result.
Research Sources
Variants
- Lombard Street to a China orange
Usage Examples
- It is all Lombard Street to a China orange that the favourite wins on dry ground.
- With three engines against one handcart, the odds were Lombard Street to a China orange.
- I would lay all Lombard Street to a China orange that he has forgotten the key again.