innings
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Earnings, good fortune; "he’s had a long INNINGS," i.e., a good run of luck, with plenty of cash flowing in. From the distinction between INNINGS and outings at cricket and kindred games.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “innings” mean?
Earnings, good fortune; "he’s had a long INNINGS," i.e., a good run of luck, with plenty of cash flowing in. From the distinction between INNINGS and outings at cricket and kindred games.
Is “innings” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.