like one o'clock

English

Prepositional phrase

like one o'clock

1. (UK, simile, slang, obsolete) Very quickly or vigorously.
   • 1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC:

     Brought up as a gentleman, he was, if ever a man was. Ed’cated at no end of expense. Went into the Marshal’s house once to try a new piano for him. Played it, I understand, like one o’clock—beautiful! As to languages—speaks anything.

   • 1899, H. G. Wells, Mr. Brisher's Treasure:

     I went over the fence like a shot, and ran like one o'clock for the trap, cussing and swearing as I went.

Related terms

• like one o'clock half struck

References

• John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary