lickety-split
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of lickety-split
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; lickety, a fanciful extension of lick “to move quickly” + split, “fraction,” as in split second
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace could have supplied us, lickety-split.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2024
The world is changing at a lickety-split pace, but the return of GiveBIG on May 2-3 reminds us that the desire to do good is an unchanging feature of the human heart.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 20, 2023
A sweet tooth may be satisfied lickety-split with pastries, cakes, coffee and tea from Josun Deli the Boutique.
From New York Times ● Sep. 27, 2022
Construction started barely three weeks ago, but the building is going up lickety-split.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 27, 2020
The beagle comes barreling toward me, legs going lickety-split, long ears flopping, tail sticking up like a flagpole.
From "Shiloh" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
