not for all the tea in china

Idioms & Phrases

not for all the tea in China

Not at any price, never, as in I wouldn't give up my car, not for all the tea in China. This term originated in Australia and alludes to the presumed huge quantity of tea in China. [Late 1800s] Also see for all the world; not for love or money.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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