Tickety-boo?

Posted by Bob on November 10, 2000

In Reply to: Tickety-boo? posted by ESC on November 10, 2000

: : I SAW BILLY CONOLEY IN A TELEVISION PRODUCTION WHERE HE PLAYED A CROOK AND EVERY TIME SOMETHING WENT RIGHT
: : HE WOULD SAY IT'S "TICKETY-BOO". ANY IDEAS WHERE IT
: : ORIGINATES?

: "Tickety-boo, adj., (U.S. equivalent -- hunky-dory) -- Also spelled 'tiggerty-boo. Still heard but outdated." From British English: A to Zed by Norman W. Schur (Harper Perennial, New York, 1987).

: Anyone have ideas on an origin?

The OED says the etymology is uncertain, but ventures an opinion that it may come from the Hindi "thik tai" meaning ok, or fine. The citations are relatively recent, from the 30s to the 60s. I never heard it before, but it sounds great. Tickety-boo.