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Spick and Span New
Quite and entirely new. A spic is a spike or nail, and a span is a chip. So that a spick and span new ship is one in which
every nail and chip is new. Halliwell mentions “span new.” According to
Dr. Johnson, the phrase was first applied to cloth just taken off the spannans or stretchers. (Dutch, spikspelderniew.)
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Spick and Span New from Infoplease:
- Spick and Span New - Spick and Span New Quite and entirely new. A spic is a spike or nail, and a span is a chip. So that ...
- Fire-new - Fire-new Spick and span new (q.v.). “You should have accosted her; and with some excellent ...
- Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: S - Definitions, origins, and illustrative excerpts for words, phases, and literary allusions starting with "S"
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