it's either that or....

[Ashraful Haque]

I've heard "it's either that or..." in movies and shows. I'm not sure what it actually mean. This is what I think it means:

A: Give me your car key.
B: Why would I do that?
A: Cause it's either that or I tell your mom what you did last night.- Here 'that' is used instead of repeating 'give me your car key.'

Is it correct? And is it even used in everyday speech?

 

[GoesStation]

A: Give me your car key.
B: Why would I do that?
A: 'Cause it's either that or I tell your mom what you did last night.- Here 'that' is used instead of repeating 'give me your car key.'

Is [STRIKE]it[/STRIKE] that correct? And is it [STRIKE]even[/STRIKE] used in everyday speech?

Your understanding is correct. It's common conversational English.

 

[tedmc]

A shorter way of saying it would be:
Give me the keys or else...

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Your understanding is correct. It's common conversational English.

I know it's off topic but I just have to ask since it's a problem I face often. How do you decide between 'it' and 'that?'

 

[emsr2d2]

I know it's off topic but I just have to ask since it's a problem I face often. How do you decide between 'it' and 'that?'

This has been discussed extensively in the last few weeks in another thread. If I have time, I'll try to find it later.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I know it's off topic but I just have to ask since it's a problem I face often. How do you decide between 'it' and 'that?'

And don't forget this, those, them, and these!