Street
do me a favour
What does do me a favour mean?
Not a literal request but an exasperated dismissal of something ridiculous.
"Do me a favour — as if he'd ever pay up."
Origin
British colloquial idiom, characteristic of London working-class speech.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'do me a favour' mean as an exclamation?
Used this way it isn't a real request. It's an exasperated way of dismissing something as ridiculous or not credible.
How do you use 'do me a favour' to show disbelief?
You'd say 'Do me a favour — as if he'd ever pay up' to scoff at an unlikely claim.
Is 'do me a favour' rude?
It's dismissive and impatient in this sense but not offensive, and the same words can of course be a polite literal request in another context.
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