English Explanatory Dictionary

worst comes to worst

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adv
  1. If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs.

Pronunciation

En-au-worst comes to worst.ogg

Word forms

worst comes to worst form only the worst comes to the worst worse comes to worst bad comes to worst bad comes to worse worse comes to worse

Etymology

Originally in the form "if the worst come to the worst" with the subjunctive "if it come to" in the sense of "if the worst possible outcome should become the worst possible reality". Often used even today with the same two definite articles, and this is the only form recorded for British English in some dictionaries.

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