Also:
Done to a T
Done to a turn
Meaning of Idiom ‘To a T’
To a T means perfectly or just right. Often applied to cooking as in the expression “done to a T,” meaning cooked perfectly, to the proper degree of doneness. The variant “done to a turn” has the same meaning.
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Usage Notes
“Vic’s new job suits him to a T.”
“I don’t go in for pinstripes but the suit really fits you to a T.”
“You really know how to cook a steak! They are always done to a T.”
“The restaurant features professionally dry-aged steaks, done to a turn.”
“Most western novels offered an idealized and romantic version of the cowboy. His new novel, however, captures the old west to a T.
Origin
To a T is quite an old idiom, dating from the late 1600s. We can only speculate on its origins. One speculation is that the expression relates to a carpenter’s T-square, used to draw accurate horizontal lines. Another is that it has to do with crossing one’s T’s.
To a turn is a later variant, first seen in print in 1780. It alludes to meat being cooked on a spit, where it slowly turned until cooked throughout to a proper temperature. (Source)
More Idioms Starting with T
More Done Idioms
More To Idioms
- To Your Heart’s Content
- Take Someone to the Cleaners
- Have Something Down to a Fine Art
- Hang On (or hang on to)
- Hand To Mouth, living from
More Turn Idioms
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