To a T

[Alena88]

Hi everybody,

Recently I've come across an interesting and new to me idiom - "to a T" which I found in the dictionary when I was looking for another way to say "perfectly, exactly". Is it a commonly used expression or an outdated one? And most importantly, in which writing style can it be used? Is it appropriate to say "to meet a deadline to a T"?

Thank you.

 

[Tarheel]

It means "exactly" or "perfectly" and the "t" part of the expression comes from "tittle" which is a printer's mark.

Apparently, it is still in use, but don't be surprised if the people you know have never heard it before.

 

[GoesStation]

Is it appropriate to say "to meet a deadline to a T"?

No. The only context the phrase appears in is it fits you to a T.

It's not terribly common in American English but you can hear it from time to time. It's not part of most people's everyday vocabulary.

 

[probus]

I was surprised to learn how uncommon it is because I use it myself. But a cursory review of the CoCA shows that it simply means exact or perfect, regardless of context, and also that it is rare in AmE.

 

[Tdol]

It's not uncommon in BrE, where it is not only used for clothes- a steak could be cooked to a T, etc..

 

[GoesStation]

It's not uncommon in BrE, where it is not only used for clothes- a steak could be cooked to a T, etc..

This reminds me that an English friend often uses this expression. It's one of the speech habits that make her still sound English. Forty-some years in the States has shifted her accent considerably but she retains a lot of Britishisms.

 

[GoesStation]

I was surprised to learn how uncommon it is because I use it myself. But a cursory review of the CoCA shows that it simply means exact or perfect, regardless of context, and also that it is rare in AmE.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's more common in Canadian English than AmE. I don't remember hearing it when I lived in Toronto but that's been rather a long time ago now and I may not have retained that little detail.

 

[Skrej]

I've used it myself on very rare occasion, particularity the 'cooked to a T'. I could probably count the number of times I've used it on both hands, however, and possibly one hand.

However, I also tend to collect and use rare or quaint expressions, just to be different. For example, I'm single-handedly (apparently) trying to institute the comeback of 'codswallop' in daily speech. Sadly, I've had no success.

 

[emsr2d2]

If it makes you feel any better, codswallop certainly isn't defunct in the UK. I use it a lot, as do most of my family.

Most of us use "verb-ed to a T" fairly frequently too.

 

[Tdol]

Your codswallop campaign is a good one, though. ;-)