Druthers means the ability to make a choice or preference. Usually it is used in the construction if I had my druthers, or some variation of that. It is mainly used in the United States and Canada and is informal.
This word comes from a contraction of the words I would rather or I’d rather. Now and then one will see the term used in this way, I’d druther, but since druther includes the ‘d part of the contraction it should be I druther, which looks odd and most would consider it a misspelling.
Some dictionaries list druther and others list druthers, saying the term does not have a singular form. All books agree that the most common formation is plural. For clarity, one should side with convention or simply use the original phrase I’d rather.
Examples
I train a lot on asphalt roads, but never on cement, and if I had my druthers, I would be on trails. [Standard Examiner]
And if the coach has his druthers, there will be a lot more years of Edith to come. [ESPN]
If Brenda Leadlay had her druthers, audiences would pay nothing to savour the smorgasbord of contemporary Canadian shows that is the annual Magnetic North Theatre Festival. [Ottawa Citizen]
But these icons answer to no one, and if they had their druthers — usually, they get a luxury carload of druthers — they literally wouldn’t answer a single question about their programs. [The Washington Post]