before\ one\ can\ say\ Jack\ Robinson

before\ one\ can\ say\ Jack\ Robinson
adv cl. informal
Very quickly; suddenly. - An overused phrase.

Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone.

Compare: in a flash, right away

Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • before one can say Jack Robinson — • before one knows where he is • before one can say Jack Robinson (from Idioms in Speech) very quickly; in no time He was very aged in the Vale you got to be a hundred before you knew where you were. (A. Coppard) ... she greeted me jovially, and …   Idioms and examples

  • before one can say Jack Robinson — {adv. cl.}, {informal} Very quickly; suddenly. An overused phrase. * /Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone./ Compare: IN A FLASH, RIGHT AWAY …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • before one can say Jack Robinson — {adv. cl.}, {informal} Very quickly; suddenly. An overused phrase. * /Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone./ Compare: IN A FLASH, RIGHT AWAY …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • before one can say Jack Robinson — informal very quickly or suddenly …   Useful english dictionary

  • before one knows where he is — • before one knows where he is • before one can say Jack Robinson (from Idioms in Speech) very quickly; in no time He was very aged in the Vale you got to be a hundred before you knew where you were. (A. Coppard) ... she greeted me jovially, and …   Idioms and examples

  • Jack Robinson — See: BEFORE ONE CAN SAY JACK ROBINSON …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Jack Robinson — See: BEFORE ONE CAN SAY JACK ROBINSON …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Jack\ Robinson — See: before one can say Jack Robinson …   Словарь американских идиом

  • Jack Robinson, before one can say —  Immediately …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • Jack Robinson (mythical person) — Jack Robinson is a fictional person used to indicate a period of time, typically in a sarcastic manner. The normal usage is, (something is done) faster than you can say Jack Robinson or otherwise … before you can say Jack Robinson.… …   Wikipedia

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