just the ticket

Idioms and Phrases

Also, that's the ticket . Exactly what is needed; exactly right. For example, This van is just the ticket for carrying all our luggage , or That's the ticket—you're handling that chain saw very well . The second phrase dates from the early 1800s, and the first is slightly newer. The exact allusion is disputed—it could be to a winning lottery ticket, a price tag for merchandise, or, as one writer suggests, a corruption of the French word etiquette for “appropriate behavior.” For a synonym, see way to go .

Related Words

• achievement
• attainment
• contentment
• gratification
• perfection
• realization