billy-o colloq.
Also -oh.
Used in the intensive phr. like billy-o (see like adv. 1 b) = like the devil (see devil n. 16); also in other intensive phrases.
| 1885 Referee 9 Aug. 7/4 Shure it'll rain like billy-oh! 1914 W. J. Locke Fortunate Youth iii, ‘And they fight?’ ‘Like billy-o,’ said Paul. 1927 Punch 25 May 584/3 He would take a team anywhere... He would take a team to Billy-O. 1927 Observer 11 Dec. 26 The Holy Rollers were going it like billy-oh to a tune which sounded like ‘My old man's a fireman’. 1934 Bulletin (Sydney) 25 July 21/4 With the price of copra and rubber all to billyoh, Papua has been in the doldrums lately. 1969 Sunday Mail Mag. (Brisbane) 1 June 6/3 There was Amundsen..with his dogs going like billyo for the Pole. |