Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Before you can say jack robinson

phrase

Definitions

Phrase
  1. 1
    Very quickly; quicker than one expects.

    "You have to be careful in that area. They'll have your wallet before you can say Jack Robinson."

Etymology

Uncertain. There is some speculation that this is a reference to Sir John Robinson, the Lieutenant of the Tower of London from 1660 to 1680 and Lord Mayor of London in 1662, but there is nothing known about him that is associated with speed (Samuel Pepys called him as “a talking bragging bufflehead.”), and the phrase does not appear in print until 1778.

See also for "before you can say jack robinson"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Want a quick game? Try Word Finder.