damned if I do, damned if I don't Idiome
damned if I do, damned if I don't
damned if I do, damned if I don't A situation in which one can't win. For example,
If I invite Aunt Jane, Mother will be angry, and if I don't, I lose Jane's friendship—I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. Eric Partridge suggested this idiom may have come from the emphatic
I'm damned if I do, meaning “I definitely will not do something,” but despite the similar wording the quite different meaning argues against this theory. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] Also see
Catch-22.
damned if you do, accursed if you don't
Every accessible activity (or inaction) would aftereffect in a abrogating aftereffect or account you trouble; there is no advance of activity that does not accept a drawback. So your bang-up will be mad if you absence the assignment event, and your bedmate will be aghast if you skip your ceremony dinner. Accursed if you do, accursed if you don't!Learn more: damned, ifdamned if I do, accursed if I don't
A bearings in which one can't win. For example, If I allure Aunt Jane, Mother will be angry, and if I don't, I lose Jane's friendship-I'm accursed if I do and accursed if I don't . Eric Partridge appropriate this argot may accept appear from the absolute I'm accursed if I do, acceptation "I absolutely will not do something," but admitting the agnate diction the absolutely altered acceptation argues adjoin this theory. [Colloquial; aboriginal bisected of 1900s] Also see catch-22. Learn more: damned, if