druthers

English

Etymology

From the expression I'd rather (“I would rather prefer to”), often pronounced "I druther" in some dialects.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdɹʌðɚz/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

druthers pl (plural only)

1. (US, informal, often humorous) Wishes, preferences.
   • 1929, Harry McClintock, "If I Had My Druthers"‎^[1]:

     "If I had my druthers, I would not be a king. I'd druther be just what I am than any other thing."

   • 1950, Alice Walworth Graham, The Natchez Woman:

     "If you had your druthers—" Old Lew was always saying, "If I had my druthers, gimme one of them there Shevrolics."

   • 1957, Society of Arts and Crafts, Theatre Arts, volume 41, page 29:

     "If I had my druthers," he informs us, "I'druther be myself — not because I'm anythin' special, just because it's convenient."

   • 1977, Carole Mayhall, From the Heart of a Woman:

     If I'd had my "druthers," our engagement would not have been two and one half years long. But schooling made our druthers invalid.

   • 1993, Les Claypool, DMV:

     If I had my "druthers," I'd screw a chimpanzee. Call it, pointless.

Usage notes

• The singular form "druther" is used with the same meaning, but much more rarely.
• The noun "druthers" is sometimes used in conjunction with the verb "druther" for increased comic effect.

  If I've got my druthers, I'd druther not.

  or, alternatively,

  If I've got my druthers, I druther not.

This double formation was popularized by the American cartoonist Al Capp (1909-1979) in the long-running Li'l Abner comic strip and was also featured in the song "If I Had my Druthers" in Li'l Abner: The Musical (1956).

Related terms

• druther

Further reading

• “druthers”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.