okeh

English

Etymology

Sometimes said to be from Choctaw oke, okeh (“it is so”). Probably simply a variant of OK.

Interjection

okeh

1. Dated form of OK.
   • 1918, The Clothier and Furnisher‎^[1], reprint edition, volume 93, page 87:

     "Look it up in the latest dictionary," suggested the President. And here is part of what was found: O.K.—a humorous or ignorant spelling of what should be "okeh," from the Choctaw language meaning, "It is so" ...

   • 1921, Joseph P. Tumulty, “Chapter XIV, Wilson and the Old Guard”, in Woodrow Wilson as I know Him‎^[2], Reprint edition, Echo Library, published 2006, →ISBN, page 67:

     … how deeply the progressive element in the Democratic party throughout the country might misunderstand and even resent his putting his "okeh" on the candidacy of the Illinois leader for the senatorship, …

   • 1967, James Jones, Go to the Widowmaker, Reprint edition (fiction), Random House, published 1979, →ISBN:

     "Well, since Ron ain't goin, why don't you come on and go along with us two, Susie?" / "Okeh," Susie grinned. "Why not?"

Verb

okeh (third-person singular simple present okehs, present participle okehing, simple past and past participle okehed)

1. Dated form of OK.
   • 1919, Journal of the American Bankers Association: Volume 11‎^[3], Reprint edition, University of Minnesota, published 2011, page 631:

     "Once the public knows that all 'good' securities must be 'okehed' by a state official of the state wherein they are offered to the public, and the okeh verified by a local banker, …

References

• Grammar of the Choctaw language, ed. by D. G. Brinton, 1870, p20, okeh
• Fay, Jim, Ph.D. (2009 June 16) “The Choctaw Expression "Okeh" and the Americanism "Okay"”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎^[4] (HTML), archived from the original on 24 December 2010

Anagrams

• Hoke, hoke