What does "Odds and ends" mean?

Miscellaneous small items or tasks Various small things left over or remaining. Bits and pieces.

How do you use "Odds and ends" in a sentence?

Just a few odds and ends. Odds and ends to sort out. Drawer full of odds and ends. Tying up odds and ends.

Odds and ends

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: Miscellaneous small items or tasks

零碎的小物品或小事

Objetos o tareas pequeñas y variadas

雑多な小物や作業

잡동사니, 자잘한 일들

Various small things left over or remaining. Bits and pieces.

剩下的各种小东西。零零碎碎的东西。

Varias cosas pequeñas sobrantes o pendientes. Cositas sueltas.

残っている様々な小さなもの。細々としたもの。

남아 있는 여러 가지 자잘한 것들. 이것저것 소소한 물건이나 일.

Examples

Just a few odds and ends.
只是一些零碎东西
Solo unas cuantas cosillas
ちょっとした細々したもの
자잘한 것들이 좀 있어.
Odds and ends to sort out.
需要整理的杂物
Cosillas que ordenar
片付けるべき雑多なもの
정리해야 할 잡동사니가 있어.
Drawer full of odds and ends.
抽屉里装满了杂物
Cajón lleno de cachivaches
雑多なものでいっぱいの引き出し
잡동사니로 가득한 서랍.
Tying up odds and ends.
处理零碎事务
Atando cabos sueltos
細かい残務を片付ける
남은 잡무를 마무리하는 중이야.

Pronunciation

/ɒdz ən ˈendz/

Usage Guide

Context: miscellaneous, leftovers, tasks

Tone: casual, practical

✓ Do Say

Odds and ends.
零碎东西
Cosillas
雑多なもの
잡동사니.
Few odds and ends.
一些杂物
Unas cuantas cosillas
いくつかの細々したもの
몇 가지 잡다한 것.
Various odds and ends.
各种杂物
Varias cosillas
様々な雑多なもの
여러 가지 잡동사니.

✗ Don't Say

Universal expression
Universal expression（通用表达）
Universal expression（Expresión universal）
Universal expression（一般的な表現）
보편적으로 사용되는 표현
Very common
Very common（非常常用）
Very common（Muy común）
Very common（非常によく使う）
매우 흔한 표현

Common Mistakes

Universal English
Also 'bits and bobs' (British)

Origin & History

From leftover remnants and miscellaneous pieces.

Etymology: From odd pieces and end bits

First recorded: English expression from 16th century

Cultural Context

Era: 16th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Daily life; Universal expression

Regional notes: Universal. British also say 'bits and bobs.'

Variations

Odds and endsOdds and sodsBits and pieces