OK (1) definition - Dictionary

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

	Okavango Swamp

	okay

	Okayama

	oke

	Okeechobee, Lake

	Okefenokee Swamp

	okeydokey

	Okhotsk, Sea of

	Okie

	okie

	Okinagan

	Okinawa

	Okla.

	Oklahoma

	Oklahoma City

	Oklahoma rainstorm

	okra

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OK (1)

OK [ ō káy ] or o·kay [ ō káy ]

interjection

Definition:

1. indicating agreement: used to indicate agreement to or approval of what somebody has said or done

"Can you help?" "OK. What do you want me to do?"

2. used to check for approval: used at the end of a statement to inquire whether somebody has understood and agrees with or approves of what was said

It's your job to make the arrangements, OK?

3. used to indicate finishing something: used to indicate that something is finished and that something else will now be done or discussed

OK, let's move to the next item on the agenda.

adjective

Definition:

1. passable: acceptable or tolerable but not exceptional

It's OK for a first effort.

2. physically well: in good health or condition

I'll be OK if I can just sit down for a minute.

3. allowable: acceptable to somebody or permissible

Is it OK for me to call home on the office phone?

4. fairly good or pleasant: better than just satisfactory or acceptable

Her parents are OK; we get along really well.

adverb

Definition:

fairly well: in an acceptable, tolerable, or satisfactory manner

Everything's going OK, except that we're a little bit behind schedule.

transitive verb (past and past participle OK'ed, present participle OK'ing, 3rd person present singular OK's) (past and past participle o·kayed, present participle o·kay·ing, 3rd person present singular o·kays)

Definition:

1. give approval for something: to give approval for or agreement to something

I just need you to OK the agenda.

2. obtain somebody's consent: to obtain somebody's approval for or agreement to something

I'll need to OK that with my boss.

noun (plural OK's) (plural o·kays)

Definition:

approval: approval for doing something or agreement to do something

As soon as she gives the OK, we'll start work.

[Mid-19th century. Origin ?]

Word History


	Of the many competing theories about the origins of OK, the one now most widely accepted is that the letters stand for oll or orl korrect, a facetious early-19th-century American phonetic spelling of all correct. This was reinforced by the fact that they were also coincidentally the initial letters of Old Kinderhook, the nickname of U.S. president Martin Van Buren (who was born in Kinderhook, New York State), which were used as a slogan in the presidential election of 1840 (a year after the first record of OK in print).