Cool MateNobody tosses a dwarf vs Unlikely
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Nobody tosses a dwarf
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Unlikely
Top 2,000 (common)B1adjective
Most formal: UnlikelyMost common: Unlikely
| Nobody tosses a dwarf | Unlikely | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //nəʊˈbəʊdi ˈtɒsɪz ə dwɔːf//🇺🇸 //noʊˈboʊdi ˈtɔsɪz ə dwɔrf// | 🇬🇧 /["/ʌnˈlaɪkli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ʌnˈlaɪkli/"]/ |
| Meaning | No one throws a small person. | Not likely to happen or to be true. |
| Example | When I suggested skydiving, Bob said, 'Well, nobody tosses a dwarf!' | It is unlikely that it will rain today given the clear skies. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | toss a dwarf, nobody tosses, unlikely event | appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very |
| Antonyms | - | likely, probable, certain |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'nobody tosses the dwarf', Used in serious discussions instead of humor, Misunderstood as a literal statement | Confused with 'unlikely' vs 'unlikelyhood', Incorrectly using it in an informal context where 'improbable' might fit better., Using 'unlikely' to describe a person's character instead of a situation. |
| Usage notes | Used humorously to imply that something is unlikely or shouldn't happen. Informal and best in casual contexts. | Use 'unlikely' to describe situations or outcomes that are not expected. It's more appropriate in neutral contexts; avoid in very formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Nobody tosses a dwarf vs Unlikely
What's the difference between Nobody tosses a dwarf and Unlikely?
Nobody tosses a dwarf: No one throws a small person. Unlikely: Not likely to happen or to be true.
Which is more formal: Nobody tosses a dwarf and Unlikely?
Unlikely is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Nobody tosses a dwarf and Unlikely?
Unlikely is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Nobody tosses a dwarf: When I suggested skydiving, Bob said, 'Well, nobody tosses a dwarf!' Unlikely: It is unlikely that it will rain today given the clear skies.
Can I use Nobody tosses a dwarf and Unlikely interchangeably?
Not always. Nobody tosses a dwarf and Unlikely are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.