like one o'clock

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English[edit]

Prepositional phrase[edit]

like one o'clock

  1. (UK, simile, slang, obsolete) Very quickly or vigorously.
    • 1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, [], published 1857, →OCLC:
      Brought up as a gentleman, he was, if ever a man was. Ed’cated at no end of expense. Went into the Marshal’s house once to try a new piano for him. Played it, I understand, like one o’clock—beautiful! As to languages—speaks anything.
    • 1899, H. G. Wells, Mr. Brisher's Treasure:
      I went over the fence like a shot, and ran like one o'clock for the trap, cussing and swearing as I went.

Related terms[edit]

References[edit]

  • John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary