A-OK, a. and advb. phr. colloq. (chiefly U.S.).
(ˌeɪəʊˈkeɪ)
Also A-okay.
[Abbrev. of ‘all (systems) OK’: see O.K. a.]
In perfect order or condition. Orig. Astronaut. (see quot. 19611).
| 1961 Flight LXXIX. 615/1 The astronaut probably added a new phrase to the English language by his repeated use of ‘A-OK’ to report satisfactory conditions in flight. On the way back to Cocoa Beach Florida, six miles south of the Cape, newsmen were shouting ‘A-OK’ to one another, and many used the phrase in their stories. It means ‘all OK’. 1961 World-Herald (Omaha) 8 May 12m/2 ‘A-okay’, as everybody now knows, means all's well, everything functioning perfectly. 1963 K. Peters Mod. Tape Recording v. 49 Always make a short test run before starting a dubbing session. This ensures that all systems are functioning A-O.K. 1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon i. 18 ‘A-OK’, an expression coined by a public affairs announcer, and one which the astronauts..never did use. 1978 Daily Tel. 8 Feb. 15 The blood sample proved A-OK, but a following ultrasound scan showed a discrepancy in the size of the foetus. |