hand to fistadv.
/ˌhan(d) tə ˈfɪst/, U.S. /ˌhæn(d) tə ˈfɪst/ colloquial. Now rare.
1. = hand to hand adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > immediacy > [adverb]
soonc825
ratheeOE
rathelyeOE
rekeneOE
rekenlyOE
thereright971
anonOE
forth ona1000
coflyc1000
ferlyc1000
radlyOE
swiftlyc1000
unyoreOE
yareOE
at the forme (also first) wordOE
nowOE
shortlya1050
rightOE
here-rightlOE
right anonlOE
anonc1175
forthrightc1175
forthwithalc1175
skeetc1175
swithc1175
with and withc1175
anon-rightc1225
anon-rights?c1225
belivec1225
lightly?c1225
quickly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
hastilyc1275
i-radlichec1275
as soon asc1290
aright1297
bedenea1300
in little wevea1300
withoute(n dwella1300
alrightc1300
as fast (as)c1300
at firstc1300
in placec1300
in the placec1300
mididonec1300
outrightc1300
prestc1300
streck13..
titec1300
without delayc1300
that stounds1303
rada1325
readya1325
apacec1325
albedenec1330
as (also also) titec1330
as blivec1330
as line rightc1330
as straight as linec1330
in anec1330
in presentc1330
newlyc1330
suddenlyc1330
titelyc1330
yernec1330
as soon1340
prestly1340
streckly1340
swithly?1370
evenlya1375
redelya1375
redlya1375
rifelya1375
yeplya1375
at one blastc1380
fresha1382
ripelyc1384
presentc1385
presently1385
without arrestc1385
readilyc1390
in the twinkling of a looka1393
derflya1400
forwhya1400
skeetlya1400
straighta1400
swifta1400
maintenantc1400
out of handc1400
wightc1400
at a startc1405
immediately1420
incontinent1425
there and then1428
onenec1429
forwithc1430
downright?a1439
agatec1440
at a tricec1440
right forth1440
withouten wonec1440
whipc1460
forthwith1461
undelayed1470
incessantly1472
at a momentc1475
right nowc1475
synec1475
incontinently1484
promptly1490
in the nonce?a1500
uncontinent1506
on (upon, in) the instant1509
in short1513
at a clap1519
by and by1526
straightway1526
at a twitch1528
at the first chop1528
maintenantly1528
on a tricea1529
with a tricec1530
at once1531
belively1532
straightwaysa1533
short days1533
undelayedly1534
fro hand1535
indelayedly1535
straight forth1536
betimesc1540
livelyc1540
upononc1540
suddenly1544
at one (or a) dash?1550
at (the) first dash?1550
instantly1552
forth of hand1564
upon the nines1568
on the nail1569
at (also in, with) a thoughtc1572
indilately1572
summarily1578
at one (a) chop1581
amain1587
straightwise1588
extempore1593
presto1598
upon the place1600
directly1604
instant1604
just now1606
with a siserary1607
promiscuously1609
at (in) one (an) instant1611
on (also upon) the momenta1616
at (formerly also on or upon) sight1617
hand to fist1634
fastisha1650
nextly1657
to rights1663
straightaway1663
slap1672
at first bolt1676
point-blank1679
in point1680
offhand1686
instanter1688
sonica1688
flush1701
like a thought1720
in a crack1725
momentary1725
bumbye1727
clacka1734
plumba1734
right away1734
momentarily1739
momentaneously1753
in a snap1768
right off1771
straight an end1778
abruptedly1784
in a whistle1784
slap-bang1785
bang?1795
right off the reel1798
in a whiff1800
in a flash1801
like a shot1809
momently1812
in a brace or couple of shakes1816
in a gird1825
(all) in a rush1829
in (also at, on) short (also quick) order1830
straightly1830
toot sweetc1830
in two twos1838
rectly1843
quick-stick1844
short metre1848
right1849
at the drop of a (occasionally the) hat1854
off the hooks1860
quicksticks1860
straight off1873
bang off1886
away1887
in quick sticks (also in a quick stick)1890
ek dum1895
tout de suite1895
bung1899
one time1899
prompt1910
yesterday1911
in two ups1934
presto changeo1946
now-now1966
presto change1987
?a1425 (?a1350) T. Castleford Chron. (1996) I. 737 Þai sclowe all þai myȝt handes on fest, Of slaghtre nevyr þai sest no ryst.]
1634 T. Heywood & R. Brome Late Lancashire Witches v. i. sig. I3v That a Godson of mine should have fought hand to fist with the Divell!
1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant iv. i. 41 What thinnk'st thou of a Game of Picquet, we two, hand to fist?
1705 E. Hickeringill Priest-craft 50 Killing a Lyon and a Bear, Hand to Fist.
1798 W. Woodfall et al. Impartial Rep. Deb. Parl. I. 75 He shews himself and his Grace so close together, hand to fist, that, which is the justice and which is the thief, it is impossible to discover.
1818 J. Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck II. 131 Some o' them that fought the deil, hand to fist, and dang him at the last.
1855 M. A. Sadlier Blakes & Flanagans xi. 180 Meanwhile, Dan was engaged hand to fist with the ruffian Jim.
1896 A. Mackenzie Hist. Frasers of Lovat x. 85 Room was made by these breaches on each side, and at last all came to fight hand to fist.
1995 J. M. Devine Vietnam at 24 Frames Second viii. 264 This steely chant is beat out hand to fist and man to man.
2. Without pause, continuously; heartily.Chiefly with reference to drinking.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > continuing > [adverb] > in a continuous manner or without stopping
fastlyOE
anonOE
everOE
everylikec1225
continuallyc1305
atreet1340
unceasinglyc1340
perpetuallyc1385
incessably1398
desselya1400
ithandlya1400
dreichlyc1400
restlessc1400
contunely1447
all alongc1450
dessantlyc1460
incessantly1481
still opece1488
uncessantlya1500
continuinglya1513
in ane1513
away1526
incessant1558
restlessly1567
square1570
stintless1598
ceaselessly?1606
residently1609
unrestingly1621
indesinently1651
jugially1654
unintermissively1656
constantly1682
hand to fist1706
forever1753
unintermittingly1784
round the clock1816
continuously1826
unpausingly1831
sustainedly1842
pauselessly1845
remorselessly1845
around the clock1872
play-by-play1889
ball-by-ball1906
non-stop1920
solidly1937
1653 A. Wood Life 4 Mar. in Thomæ Caii Vindiciæ antiquitatis Academiæ Oxoniensis (1730) II. 489 Going to the Alehouse..they set hand to fist, and drunk very desperatly.]
1706 G. Farquhar Recruiting Officer iii. 31 Many, many a dry Bottle have we crack'd hand to fist.
1760 S. Foote Minor i. 40 He and Jenny Cummins drank three flasks, hand to fist, last night.
1811 W. Scott Let. Sept. (1932) II. 543 The Edinburgh reviewers have been down on my poor Don Roderick, hand to fist.
1867 Dublin Univ. Mag. Jan. 11/1 So there was nothing but feasting and drinking hand to fist the rest of the day.
1902 L. C. Cornford Last Buccaneer 189 Leave him to me; he'll drink himself drunk hand to fist before the liquor's done.
1994 M. Kantor & T. Tulchinsky tr. L. Tolstoy in Plays I. 13 Drinking hand to fist, a tragic Valeryan tells everyone the truth.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1634