Definitions
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun informal a very long time; ages.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun idiomatic A long time, years and years.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
1923, from donkey's ears, which is rhyming slang for years. That is, donkey's ears is rhyming slang, replacing years with ears, while donkey's years reverts back to years, with donkey acting as emphasis. “Donkey’s ears” implies “a long time” because donkey’s ears are long, while “donkey’s years” is supported by the belief that donkeys live a long time.
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Examples
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