Bang-up
/ˈbæŋˌʌp/noun
Excellent, first-rate, or very impressive.
Did you know?Despite its punchy sound, bang-up is not a dark ritual word; it emerged in 19th-century English slang as an intensifier, likely from the forceful sense of bang.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
bangan
“to beat, strike”
Middle English
ME
bang
“a sharp blow or beating sound”
18th–19th Century
English
bang
“a loud, sudden report or impact”
19th Century
English
bang-up
“excellent; stylish; first-rate”
Modern English
English
bang-up
“excellent or impressive”