down the banks

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down the banks

/daʊn d̪ə bæŋks/ Ireland

Rhymes with -æŋks

Where it comes from

Unknown. Probably of Irish origin.

five conjectural etymologies

* Notes & Queries, 3rd series, volume 1 (8 March 1862), page 189 posits a connection with "down the khud", supposedly used of a person falling down a precipice in the Himalayas.

* Cassell's Dictionary of Slang (1998) suggests falling off the raised bank of a bog into muddy water.

* Bernard Share (Slanguage, 1997) suggests a link to "The Banks of my own Lovely Lee", a Cork anthem nicknamed "De Banks".

noun down-the-banks

Ireland, dated, slang, uncountable A severe criticism, scolding, reprimand, or punishment. Independent woters ain't the chalk—and the K. Ns. has done it!— They've spiled the trade. Sam's done it—Amerikins has done it! Take 'em up for interfeerin' with other people's bisness. Give 'em down the banks; send em up ninety days; give em that,"—and he struck straight out at an imaginary head, wi
Similar: bollocking, dressing down, handbagging, tongue lashing, animadversion, criticism, criticization, critique, dressing-down, slam, stricture, berating

phrase down-the-banks

New York, obsolete, slang In prison. Mr. Heberton Fitzjames was (and, if he has not gone 'down the banks,' is) a gentleman such as we frequently see at the watering-places; a leader of the select parties there congregated. […] I became acquainted with Fitzjames in my way of making new friends. I had professional engagements with him, a

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MLA

"down the banks." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/down%20the%20banks. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

down the banks. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/down%20the%20banks

Chicago

"down the banks." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/down%20the%20banks.

BibTeX

@misc{down_the_banks_2026,
  title = {down the banks},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/down%20the%20banks},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}