It fits to a T
Preserved but no longer current.
Exactly. The allusion is to work that mechanics square with a T-square a ruler with a cross-piece at one end, especially useful in making right angles, and in obtaining perpendiculars and parallel lines.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “It fits to a T” mean?
Exactly. The allusion is to work that mechanics square with a T-square a ruler with a cross-piece at one end, especially useful in making right angles, and in obtaining perpendiculars and parallel lines.
Is “It fits to a T” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.