donkey's ears

See also: donkey ears and donkey's years

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.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

donkey's ears pl (plural only)

1. (British, idiomatic) A long time, years and years.
   • 1916, E. V. Lucas, The Vermilion Box:

     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

• ages
• donkey's years
• years and years
• yonks

Derived terms

• donkey's years

References

• Michael Quinion (April 15, 2000) “Donkey's years”, in World Wide Words.
• “Donkey’s Ears”, Web's greatest dick’n’arry of Cockney Rhyming Slang.