odd man out
Preserved but no longer current.
A street or public-house game at tossing. The number of players is three or more. Each tosses up a coin, and if two come down head, and one comes tail, or vice versâ, the ODD MAN loses or wins, as may have been agreed upon. Frequently used to victimize a "flat." If all be alike, then the toss goes for nothing, and the coppers are again "skied." It is easy for two men to arrange matters beforehand at this game, and so swindle a third.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
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 “odd man out” mean?
A street or public-house game at tossing. The number of players is three or more. Each tosses up a coin, and if two come down head, and one comes tail, or vice versâ, the ODD MAN loses or wins, as may have been agreed upon. Frequently used to victimize a "flat." If all be alike, then the toss goes for nothing, and the coppers are again "skied." It is easy for two men to arrange matters beforehand at this game, and so swindle a third.
Is “odd man out” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.