lickety-split

English

Etymology

First attested during the 19th century, in the US, as a fanciful alteration of the noun lick “a very fast sprint”, and the verb split. The forms lickety-cut and licketie are similarly attested.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adverb

lickety-split (not comparable)

1. Quickly; as fast as possible; in short order.

   At the sound of the starting gun, they were off and running lickety-split.

   I need tea right now, lickety-split.

   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:lickety.

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “lickety-split”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.