odds and ends

plural noun

1

a

: miscellaneous articles

b

: miscellaneous small matters (as of business) to be attended to

2

: miscellaneous remnants or leftovers

odds and ends of food

Synonyms

• etceteras
• notion
• novelties
• sundries

Examples of odds and ends in a Sentence

she's always searching among the odds and ends in the drawer for some tool that she needs

almost all of the piece of leather will be needed for upholstering the chair, so just throw away any odds and ends

Recent Examples on the Web

More:Tires, VHS tapes, old TVs: What Hoosiers said are the most difficult items to recycle Long Answer: What about all these other odds and ends? —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Dec. 2024

Their reusable bags and bowls are great for packing snacks and dried food for hikes and camping trips, as well as toiletries, cords, or any other odds and ends. —Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Dec. 2024

The icky parts are discarded, and then the giblets, a nutritious bundle of odds and ends that are still good to eat, are tucked back into the cavity for safekeeping. —Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2024

But reusing old clothes and other odds and ends in your home keeps excess stuff out of the waste stream. —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

odds and ends

plural noun

: miscellaneous articles, leftovers, or things to do