on the dot
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
Well he hasn't got any money, but when he's had it he's paid on the dot the only one
The main housework followed, and all the oilcloth floors had to be scrubbed — houses that had oilcloth in those days were supposed to be well off.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Common questions
What does “on the dot” mean?
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Is “on the dot” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.