What is the meaning of OK?

Answer 1

During the 1830s there was a humoristic fashion in Boston newspapers to reduce a phrase to initials and supply an explanation in parentheses. Sometimes the abbreviations were misspelled to add to the humor.

"OK" was used in March 1839 as an abbreviation for "all correct", the joke being that neither the O nor the K was correct.

Originally spelled with periods, this term outlived most similar abbreviations owing to its use in President Martin Van Buren's 1840 campaign for reelection. Because he was born in Kinderhook, New York, Van Buren was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and the abbreviation proved eminently suitable for political slogans.

That same year, an editorial referring to the receipt of a pin with the slogan O.K. had this comment: “frightful letters... significant of the birth-place of Martin Van Buren, old Kinderhook, as also the rallying word of the Democracy of the late election, ‘all correct’....

Those who wear them should bear in mind that it will require their most strenuous exertions... to make all things O.K.”

Answer 2

OK 1 or o·kay audio (-k) KEY Informal

NOUN:
pl. OK's or o·kays

Approval; agreement: Get your supervisor's OK before taking a day off.

ADJECTIVE:

1. Agreeable; acceptable: Was everything OK with your stay?
2. Satisfactory; good: an OK fellow.
3. Not excellent and not poor; mediocre: made an OK presentation.
4. In proper or satisfactory operational or working order: Is the battery OK?
5. Correct: That answer is OK.
6. Uninjured; safe: The skier fell but was OK.
7. Fairly healthy; well: Thanks to the medicine, the patient was OK.

ADVERB:

1. Used to express approval or agreement.
2. Fine; well enough; adequately: a television that works OK despite its age.

TRANSITIVE VERB:
OK'ed or OK'd or o·kayed , OK'·ing or o·kay·ing , OK's or o·kays

To approve of or agree to; authorize.

ETYMOLOGY:
Abbreviation of oll korrect, slang respelling of all correct

WORD HISTORY:
OK is a quintessentially American term that has spread from English to many other languages. Its origin was the subject of scholarly debate for many years until Allen Walker Read showed that OK is based on a joke of sorts. OK is first recorded in 1839 but was probably in circulation before that date. During the 1830s there was a humoristic fashion in Boston newspapers to reduce a phrase to initials and supply an explanation in parentheses. Sometimes the abbreviations were misspelled to add to the humor. OK was used in March 1839 as an abbreviation for all correct, the joke being that neither the O nor the K was correct. Originally spelled with periods, this term outlived most similar abbreviations owing to its use in President Martin Van Buren's 1840 campaign for reelection. Because he was born in Kinderhook, New York, Van Buren was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and the abbreviation proved eminently suitable for political slogans. That same year, an editorial referring to the receipt of a pin with the slogan O.K. had this comment: "frightful letters ... significant of the birth-place of Martin Van Buren, old Kinderhook, as also the rallying word of the Democracy of the late election, 'all correct' .... Those who wear them should bear in mind that it will require their most strenuous exertions ... to make all things O.K."

Answer 3

So what are some of the stories surrounding OK?

The Greeks had an incantation of "Omega, Khi" with which they drove away fleas.
The Finnish language has the word "oikea."
Liberian English has the term "oke."
Burmese has "hoakeh."
The infamous jokers at the Boston Morning Post claimed, in 1839, OK was short for "ORL KORREKT."
The Times, in 1939, claimed it had London Cockney origins, from "Orl Korrec."
American Indians used the word "okeh" which meant "it is so." The story goes that Andrew Jackson picked up the word during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
Some Latin scholars claim that "Omnis Korecta" is the origin.

Answer 4

What is known is that one of the first instances of OK appearing in print was in the spring of 1839 by the Boston Morning Post:

It is hardly necessary to say to those who know Mr. Hughes, that his establishment will be found to be 'A. No. One' -- that is, O.K. -- all correct.

So if OK stands for "all correct," wouldn't it be "AC"? Not exactly, says linguist Erin McKean, who points out that the word was intentionally misspelled. Much like the way people on the Internet shorten or abbreviate words when typing, OK was misspelled on purpose.

"For instance, a lot of kids online spell "cool," "k-e-w-l," says McKean, senior editor for U.S. dictionaries at Oxford Press. "They know how to spell cool, but it just looks cooler to spell it "k-e-w-l."

Answer 5

It comes from the Germans. On one of the early assembly plants, a German man had the job of inspecting the cars, and signing off on them. He used his initials, O. K. Because these two letters were applied to cars in satisfactory condition, that's what O. K has come to mean.

Answer 6

OK is a word used to mean YES or to show agreement.

Answer 7

Okie Dokie.

Answer 8

ok means whatever

Answer 9

Short for okay. Here we go again. The lamesters are awake.

Answer 10

Oll Korrect ? I think.