Is it to a tee or to at?

Is it to a tee or to at?

Definition of ‘to a T’ You can use to a T or to a tee to mean perfectly or exactly right. For example, if something suits you to a T, it suits you perfectly. If you have an activity or skill down to a T, you have succeeded in doing it exactly right.

What does to a tee mean?

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

Why do we say to a tee?

“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).

How do you say to a tee?

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.

Is to at an idiom?

Perfectly; completely; exactly. The origin of the phrase is uncertain. You look beautiful. That color really suits you to a T.

Why is it to at?

The T in the phrase to a T is likely the first letter of a word, with tittle being the most likely source. Others claim the expression refers to the correct completion of the letter t by crossing it.

Is tee a word in Scrabble?

Yes, tee is in the scrabble dictionary.

What does the T mean in to at?

See synonyms for to a T on Thesaurus.com. Also, to a turn. Perfectly, exactly right, as in The description fitted him to a T, or The roast was done to a turn. The first expression, dating from the late 1600s, may allude to the T-square, used for accurate drawing, but some think it refers to crossing one’s T’s.

What is the origin of the saying down to at?

The origins of this phrase are uncertain, but it has been observed in print since at least 1766, and likely was around well before that. The potentially related phrase “to a tittle” is found in a 1607 play, The Woman Hater by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (“I’ll quote him to a tittle”).

Where does done to at come from?

Also, to a turn. Perfectly, exactly right, as in The description fitted him to a T, or The roast was done to a turn. The first expression, dating from the late 1600s, may allude to the T-square, used for accurate drawing, but some think it refers to crossing one’s T’s.

Why is it fit to at?

A t-shirt can be called a “tee,” so it makes a sort of sense that a properly fitting garment could be said to “fit to a tee,” but the original expression is actually “fit to a t.” The “t” may refer to a drafting t-square, though that is uncertain.

Where does the saying shake a stick at?

Shake a stick at Farmers controlled their sheep by shaking their staffs to indicate where the animals should go. When farmers had more sheep than they could control, it was said they had “more than you can shake a stick at.”