giving it a try since there's nothing to lose
Colloquial abbreviation of 駄目で元々 (dame de motomoto), meaning 'it was no good from the start, so trying won't make it worse'. Used when attempting something with low expectations, knowing that failure leaves you no worse off.
See also: 駄目で元々
I asked her out on the off chance, figuring I had nothing to lose.
I applied just in case, and surprisingly I got accepted.
Most common spelling; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling using 元 for もと; less common than kana forms.
Full kanji spelling; rarely used.
Abbreviation of the phrase 駄目で元々 (dame de motomoto), literally 'no good from the start'. The もと part comes from 元々 (motomoto, 'originally').