smack-dabadv.
U.S. dialect and colloquial.
Exactly, precisely; with a smack. Cf. slap-dab adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > position or situation > [adverb] > exactly (in a certain position)
righta1225
meet1543
plumb1701
spang1843
smack-dab1892
bung1899
bang1924
slap-dab1949
slap-bang1963
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb]
rightlyeOE
righteOE
evenOE
evenlya1225
redlyc1275
justicelya1375
justilya1375
justlya1375
redilya1375
trulya1375
properlya1382
precisec1392
preciselyc1392
truec1392
straitlya1395
leala1400
arightc1405
by linec1420
justlyc1425
featlya1450
rule-righta1450
to the letter?1495
exquisitely1526
evenliklya1530
very1530
absolutely1538
jump1539
just1568
accurately1581
punctually1581
jumplya1586
arights1596
just so1601
plumb1601
compassly1606
nicelya1616
squarely1626
justa1631
adequately1632
mathematicallya1638
critically1655
exquisitively1660
just1665
pointedly1667
faithfully1690
correctlya1704
jus1801
jest1815
jes1851
neat1875
cleanly1883
on the nose1883
smack-dab1892
spot on1920
forensically1974
1892 Dial. Notes 1 232 He hit him smack dab in the mouth.
1893 H. A. Shands Some Peculiarities Speech Mississippi 75 Smack-dab, a term used by all classes, but more especially by the uneducated, to mean exactly, precisely; as, ‘I hit him smack-dab in the face’.
1934 D. Runyon in Collier's 3 Mar. 8/2 The old King tumbles smack-dab into the street.
1949 H. Hornsby Lonesome Valley 16 He gave a little hop and landed smack-dab in the water.
1953 Sun (Baltimore) 30 Apr. (ed. b) 19/6 An April rain fell today where no man..would have dared tread last night—smack dab between the bristling New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns.
1967 Boston Globe 18 May 27/2 The university trustees apparently want to put it [sc. a university] smack-dab into Copley sq.
1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon xiii. 321 Here was the LM..right smack dab where it should have been.
1979 United States 1980–1 (Penguin Travel Guides) 395 Whether you want to be..smack-dab downtown,..or conveniently near Lambert Field Airport, quality hotels are available.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adv.1892