donkey's ears

English

A long time, long like donkey’s ears

Etymology

1916 UK, from British rhyming slang, rhyming with years, due to donkey’s ears being long.[1]

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Noun

donkey's ears pl (plural only)

  1. (Britain, idiomatic) A long time, years and years.
    • 1916, E. V. Lucas, The Vermilion Box:[1]
      Now for my first bath for what the men call ‘Donkey’s ears’, meaning years and years.
  2. (military, slang) A pair of scissor binoculars.

Synonyms

Derived terms

References

  1. Donkey's years” in Gary Martin, The Phrase Finder, 1997–, retrieved 26 February 2017.
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