If I Had My Druthers

In this fun idiom, druthers is an archaic word meaning choice or preference. To have one’s druthers is to have what would ‘one rather have.’ Or, in this case, ‘would ruther have.’ Often, in the 19th century American South, ‘I’d rather’ became ‘I druther.’ We see this use in Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. Druther, short form of ‘would rather.’ Druthers means “the things I want” but is used to refer to both single and collective wishes.

Meaning of Idiom ‘If I Had My Druthers’

If I had my druthers means if I had my choice or preference; what I would have if I could choose; if I could do the the thing I would like to do more.

To have one’s druthers can be used alone. For example, “I can’t really have my druthers so I may as well just let you have your way.”

Sentence Examples

“If I had my druthers, I’d be living in the city but my mother needs me to help her stay on her feet.”

“If I had my druthers, I’d take fried chicken over chicken and dumplings.”

“If I had my druthers I’d be working for myself.”

“You can’t let him fool you. If he had his druthers, you’d be married and in the kitchen the rest of your life.”

“I believe democracy is a collision of ideas. I’m not of the school that if you’re not for us you’re against us. That being said, if I had my druthers, I’d love an all-lesbian cabinet.” — Man of the Year (2006)

“Oh, I’d love to, Winona, but the trail’s too hot. I had my druthers, I’d just pull a cork and jaw with you all night. So long.” — Rooster Cogburn (1975)

“Okay, so he’s a restauranteur…” “No, he’s an indolent man-child, and if I’d had my druthers, you would never have crossed paths with him.” — Elementary: Step Nine (2013)

“It’s sweet of you to offer, Aunt Clara, but we can go out to dinner another time. Oh, well, if I’m a guest, I must do as you like but if I had my druthers, I’d rather stay here with Jimmy.” — Bewitched: There’s No Witch Like an Old Witch (1965)

“I didn’t have time for shading. There’s no forced perspective. If I had really had my druthers, I would’ve done it in charcoal.” — Psych: 65 Million Years Off (2007)

“If I had my druthers, as they say in America, I should love to have met Oscar Wilde…must have been a fascinating conversationalist I should imagine he was very good in bed…” — A Bit of Fry and Laurie: Episode #3.2 (1992)

Origin

This American idiom has been used since the late 1800s. Druthers is a variant of ‘drathers,’ a rural contraction for ‘I would rather’ where something that ‘a person would rather have’ becomes their ‘drathers.’ In other words, “If I had my drathers” means “If I had the thing I would rather have.”

Drathers is found in print as early as 1870 as in Overland Monthly:

We see some hubbly life, off and on, we did; and if I was a youngster, I ‘drather set up in any perfession but a circus-driver, but a man can’t always have his ‘drathers.

Note the use of the apostrophe showing that the author knew he was using a contraction.

Mark Twain uses ‘druthers’ in Tom Sawyer:

Huck Finn: Well then, I’m as sorry as you are. Any way you druther have it, that is the way I druther have it. He —

Tom Sawyer: There ain’t any druthers about it, Huck Finn; nobody said anything about druthers…

This idiom is still used in certain regions of America, chiefly rural regions of the South. It has become archaic and the word ‘druther’ used is rare enough to be considered a fossil word.