English

Alternative forms

• in a few shakes
• in two shakes of a cow's tail
• in two shakes of a dog's tail
• in two shakes of a duck's tail
• in two shakes of a lamb's tail

Adverb

in two shakes

1. (dated, idiomatic) Very quickly; without delay.
   • 1906, Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children, ch. 2,

     She tried to get the case open. . . . "I wish Father was here," said Phyllis; "he'd get it open in two shakes."

   • 1910, William MacLeod Raine, A Texas Ranger, ch. 5,

     I'll have coffee ready in two shakes of a cow's tail.

   • 1922, Agatha Christie', The Secret Adversary, ch. 19,

     I'll be back in two shakes of a dog's tail.

   • 1922, P. G. Wodehouse, Right Ho, Jeeves, ch. 16,

     In two shakes of a duck's tail Gussie, with all that lapping about inside him, will be distributing the prizes at Market Snodsbury Grammar School .

   • 2005, Adrian Higgins, "And All the Trimmings," Washington Post, 15 Dec, p. H01,

     Skilled sheep shearers can get the wool off a ewe in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

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