Who coined the term jiffy?

Gilbert Newton Lewis
Beginnings in measurement The earliest technical usage for jiffy was defined by Gilbert Newton Lewis (1875–1946). He proposed a unit of time called the “jiffy” which was equal to the time it takes light to travel one centimeter in a vacuum (approximately 33.3564 picoseconds).

How did the term expression originate?

Expression comes from a Latin word meaning “to press out” and it can still be used this way.

What is the synonym of jiffy?

In this page you can discover 24 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for jiffy, like: minute, trice, wink, flash, instant, second, crack, twinkle, twinkling, jiff and tick. Words That Rhyme With Orange.

Is jiffy a real word?

Today I found out a ‘jiffy’ is used as an actual unit of time. The word ‘jiffy’ has been around since at least the late 18th century. What it derived from is unknown, but it first popped up as a “thieves slang for ‘lightning’”.

What does going bananas mean?

Definition of go bananas informal. : to become very excited or angry The crowd went bananas when the concert began.

What does Chase Me Charlie mean?

1 to follow or run after (a person, animal, or goal) persistently or quickly.

Where did the saying coming in hot come from?

My partner and my daughter have a phrase that they use when I come home from work in a certain mood: they say I’m “coming in hot.” (The phrase originated in the Vietnam War, when helicopters would land fast, weapons ready.) Basically, it means I’m still wound up from work, moving too fast and spoiling for a fight.

What is opposite of Jiffy?

▲ Opposite of a very short or brief period of time. eternity. age. unimportance.

What does it mean in two shakes?

Definition of in two shakes informal. : very quickly or soon I’ll be ready to go in two shakes.

What is the origin of the word jiffy?

Etymology online Dictionary says origin unknown but speculates that it was slang (cant) for lightning and dates it as 1785. Wikipedia agrees but adds that the American physical chemist, Gilbert Newton Lewis (1875–1946) was the first to actually specify how long a jiffy was, a mere 33.3564 picoseconds.

What does jifffy mean?

Jiffy is an informal term for any unspecified short period of time, as in “I’ll be back in a jiffy“. From this it has acquired a number of more precise applications for short, very short, or extremely short periods of time. -wiki. But soon, we started measuring this term “jiffy”, and now it does have a measurement.

How long is a jiffy?

Wikipedia agrees but adds that the American physical chemist, Gilbert Newton Lewis (1875–1946) was the first to actually specify how long a jiffy was, a mere 33.3564 picoseconds.

What is the origin of the word Chiffy?

” Etymologicon Magnum, or Universal Etymological Dictionary” by Walter Whiter (1800) makes the claim that ” chiffy “, as used in the term ” in a chiffy ” derives from the Anglo-Saxon word ” Caf “. “A Dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon Language” by Joseph Bosworth (1832) confirms the meaning of ” Caf ” as ” quick, sharp, nimble, swift “.