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Lv 5
s asked in Society & CultureLanguages · 3 years ago

What is the etymology of lickety-split?

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  • Erik Van Thienen
    Lv 7
    3 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    "lickety-split" (adj.) : 1852, American English; earlier "lickety-cut", "lickety-click", and simply "licketie" (1817), probably a fanciful extension of "lick" (noun) in its dialectal sense of 'very fast sprint in a race' (1809) on the notion of a flick of the tongue as a fast thing.

    Source(s): https://www.etymonline.com/word/lickety-split
  • Anonymous
    3 years ago

    Only a cunning linguist would know.

  • ?
    Lv 6
    3 years ago

    Lickety-split = as quick as possible

  • Possum
    Lv 7
    3 years ago

    You could have just looked it up:

    1835-1845

    1835-45, Americanism; perhaps dial. licket rag (for wiping in haste, with one lick) + -y1 + split, as in split second

    Source(s): http://www.dictionary.com/browse/lickety-split?s=t
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