lickety-split

adverb

Quickly; as fast as possible; in short order.

“I need tea right now, lickety-split.”

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Meanings

adverblickety-split (not comparable)

alternative lickedy-split

  1. not comparableQuickly; as fast as possible; in short order.

    I need tea right now, lickety-split.

    2 more examples

    At the sound of the starting gun, they were off and running lickety-split.

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:lickety.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
quickly

Origin

First attested during the 19th century, in the US, equivalent to lickedy + split, perhaps as a reference to the flick or darting of a snake's forked tongue. The forms lickety-cut and licketie are similarly attested; and forms with t are likely due to Scottish influence.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish al toque, enseguida
  • al toqueTranslations
  • enseguidaTranslations
  • seguidamenteTranslations
  • de seguidaTranslations
  • en un pispásTranslations
  • en un santiaménTranslations
  • en un periqueteTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

lickety-split. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lickety-split

MLA

“lickety-split.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lickety-split. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lickety-split,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lickety-split.

Source: lickety-split on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.