Hi, Members!

Does anybody know the origin of the expression even Steven (or Stephen)?
My wife and I just now finished playing two games of backgammon.  She won one game, so did I.  

"Even Steven," she said.  "Do you know where that comes from?"

"No," I said, "but I’ll find out."

Thus it is posted.

My dictionary says that it’s a simple rhyming formation, as ‘in a child’s game’. When I looked up ‘Steven’, it told me that it was slang for money - that’s a new one on me. I’ve always said ‘even Stevens’.

- Garzo.

I’m guessing that the money reference comes from the stiver (a twentieth of a Dutch guilder).

I can attest to the fact that "stiver" was in use in Cockney English for a small amount of money from a song my mother used to sing. She almost certainly picked it up from her publican parents in Whitechapel in the early 1920s.

"How much did he give you?
Only a stiver.
You f-ing liar, he gave you two.
Stop your complaining,
Get on with your singing.
Oh we love Jesus,
Oh, yes we do."

Good stuff. :—)

- PW

Good stuff indeed, PW. I had no idea about the steven - stiver - stuiver chain, but it is quite plausible. Chambers connects stuiver etymologically with the English ‘stub’.

- Garzo.

Garzo, Katy, and Palewriter:  thanks for your response.

Best regards