Where does the phrase to a tee come from?

“To a T” or “to a tee,” meaning “exactly, precisely, perfectly” is an older expression than you might think, dating all the way back to the late 17th century (“All the under Villages and Towns-men come to him for Redress; which he does to a T,” 1693).

What is the meaning of to a tee?

to a tee. : exactly, precisely the description fit her to a tee.

Why do we say to the T?

Most likely, the phrase is descended from the expression “to a tittle.” A tittle is a small mark used in orthographic details, such as the dot over an i or a j or a diacritical mark such as an accent mark, and the sense is “to the smallest detail.”

Is it to a tee or to a tea?

People are happy to use this phrase having no idea what a ‘T’ is. Given Wright’s earliest ‘to a T’ usage and the lack of evidence to support the ‘tee’ or ‘tea’ versions, it is safe to state that the proper spelling is ‘to a T’.

Where does the expression Close but no cigar come from?

The phrase most likely originated in the 1920s when fairs, or carnivals, would hand out cigars as prizes. At that time, the games were targeted towards adults, not kids.

Why do we say down to at?

Origin of Down to a T Tittle means a small dot or stroke, such as the dot over the letter i or the cross throughout the letter t. This is evidence that perhaps down to a t is short for down to a tittle, meaning everything is complete, including the minutest aspects.

What does tee up mean in slang?

• TEE UP (verb) Meaning: Make detailed arrangements or preparations.

Is watched to the tee?

Perfectly; completely; exactly. More commonly seen as “to a T.” The origin of the phrase is uncertain.

Is to a tee formal?

to a ˈT/ˈtee (British English, informal) exactly; perfectly: This new job suits me to a T (= it is perfect for me). ♢ This portrait is excellent — it’s Rosemary to a T. This may be a short form of the old phrase to a tittle which meant ‘to the smallest detail’. A tittle was a small mark or point on a letter.

Why is tea Spelt with an A?

The word tea seems to have come from many different sources, including the Chinese Min dialect word t’e, the Mandarin Chinese word ch’a and the Malay word the. Tee refers to the area on a golf course from which the player starts play as well as the wooden peg that the golf ball is placed on when starting play.

Why do they say 40 winks?

As a blink lasts for a fraction of a second, forty winks take a few seconds. Hence the phrase ”forty winks” has come to mean a few moments of sleep, or a very short nap, especially taken during the daytime, while not in a sleeping position.

What does but no cigar mean?

close but no cigar. A narrowly missed success, as in That ball was definitely out—close but no cigar. This interjection alludes to awarding a cigar to the winner of some competition, such as hitting a target. [ Slang; early 1900s]

Which is the best definition of to a T?

(British English, informal) exactly; perfectly: This new job suits me to a T (= it is perfect for me).♢ This portrait is excellent — it’s Rosemary to a T. This may be a short form of the old phrase to a tittle which meant ‘to the smallest detail’. A tittle was a small mark or point on a letter. See also: tee, to

Where does the phrase ” to a t ” come from?

More commonly seen as “to a T.”. The origin of the phrase is uncertain. You look beautiful. That color really suits you to a tee. You have to make sure the fabric lines up to a tee, or the stitching will start coming out before too long. Bold, reckless, and daring—that fits him to a tee all right.

What’s the meaning of ” done to a T “?

Mary Kachuron December 04, 2017 6:51 pm My guess is that done to a “T” refers to the “T” that a pie baker cuts in the top pie crust to vent it during baking. The “T” would then be the very last action one does to a pie before putting the pie in the oven, hence when something is done to a “T”, it is done completely and correctly.