Not on your life!

Posted by Joel on September 15, 1999

When I hear the phrase "not on your life!" I understand it to mean: "not a shred of possibility!" or "don't waste a moment believing that!"

But when I dissect the phrase, it doesn't make much literal sense. So where does the phrase originate, or how did that group of four words come out in that order and meaning what they do?

• Not on your tintype... ESC 9/15/99
  • Not on your tintype... Bob 9/15/99