Fine and dandy
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Entirely satisfactory, agreeable, or in good order, sometimes said sarcastically when the situation is plainly otherwise. Informal. Tone determines whether it conveys genuine approval or dry criticism; the sarcastic reading is common after 'all.' Regional use: General English; especially associated with American colloquial use.
Origin
The phrase intensifies approval by pairing 'fine' with 'dandy,' both of which could mean excellent or first-rate. 'Dandy' was in fashionable use by the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although its deeper etymology is disputed, and the fixed pairing became an American colloquialism later. No named dandy or single event explains the expression. Its near-repetition also made it especially suitable for ironic use: a speaker can say everything is excellent while implying the opposite.
Research Sources
Variants
- All fine and dandy
- Just fine and dandy
Usage Examples
- The new timetable is fine and dandy until the first train is delayed.
- Once the missing permit arrived, everything was fine and dandy.
- You may think the shortcut is fine and dandy, but it floods after heavy rain.