I’ve got downs

English translation: I've got/made a claim on/to it

10:35 Jul 28, 2007

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

English term or phrase: I’ve got downs

"Every breath that rebel takes is an insult to this great empire! He cannot be permitted to steal the Secret!
It’s mine, do you hear me? I’ve got downs!"

Star wars parody setting. The Big Bad Guy says so to his troops. I'm puzzled by the "I’ve got downs" part. Is it a reference to some comedian/character know in the US? If so, what could its basic meaning be (if any)?

Thank you

grigua

Selected answer:I've got/made a claim on/to it

Explanation:
This sounds like a variant on 'I've got dibs' (or 'I've called dibs').

See e.g. the second positing for 'downs' on the Urban Slang website (but I don't think the explanation is quite right) and the Wikipedia article on 'dibs'

2. downs
3 up, 4 down

Downs: used to announce intentions of going next.
Origin: a term coined by the South Florida basketball scene but maybe applied to a wider range of usages
Usage: "ai nigga you know i got downs for next game, lemme get that gamecube controller son"

Tyrone called downs for the next street basketball game.
Tyree called downs on the library computer cuz he can't afford his own.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=downs
Dibs (also known as bags, bagsy, or bagsie) is a common convention used primarily in the U.S. and UK by friends or siblings to reserve or declare full or partial ownership of a community resource, such as a chair or communal food
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibs

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-07-28 13:18:34 GMT)
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Or perhaps more precisely in the given context, 'I've formally announced my claim to it'.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-07-28 14:54:03 GMT)
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Just musing: maybe this originated from American football, where the team with the ball keeps possession of the ball as long as it keeps 'making downs' (i.e. advancing by at least 10 yards in four plays or less)

Selected response from:

Ken Cox
Local time: 04:48

Grading comment

Cheers!

Grigua, king of cheese!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

3 +4

I've got/made a claim on/to it

Ken Cox

down payment

jerrie

Answers

2 hrs confidence:

i’ve got downs down payment

Explanation:
referring to a down payment - as in, I've got a stake in it, I've invested in it?

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 96

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

i’ve got downs

I've got/made a claim on/to it

Ken Cox
Local time: 04:48
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 88

Grading comment

Cheers!

Grigua, king of cheese!

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