Would you like to let someone know that something has been made as clean as it could be, or that something is as clean and sterile as possible in its current state? The term 'spic and span' is used almost internationally in English, although few people who use the expression know where the term really comes from. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of the saying.
Meaning
The phrase 'spic and span' is one that is traditionally used to indicate that something is sterile or clean.
The term 'spic and span' is said to imply that something is absolutely, completely and 100% clean.
Something can be said to be either 'spic and span' or 'not spic and span' to indicate the opposite of the term, or that something is instead dirtier than it's supposed to be.
The phrase 'spic and span' is used as a collective, and either words spic or span would mean nothing when they are used on their own.
The phrase can be used as a simple statement to say that something is clean, but the phrase can also be used in response to someone else to confirm or state that something is clean.
The term can be used to refer to a single thing, or can be used to refer to a group of items. The phrase stays the same, and is still used just as the phrase 'spic and span' to indicate something's cleanliness.
Thanks to the popularity of social media, the term can also be put to use as a hashtag.
Example Usage
“The place wasn't exactly spic and span after the cleaners left. Personally I think we should fire all of them and find someone else who can do the job better.”
“The dishes were spic and span, but she didn't notice and just continued chewing into her husband about the speck of dust that didn't exist.”
“If you aren't going to make sure that the dishes are absolutely spic and span before you consider the job done, you shouldn't start in the first place.”
“The washing wasn't spic and span when the boss walked in, and it got him fired from work again.”
Origin
The origin of the phrase 'spic and span' as a saying can be traced back to a trademark that was registered in the 1920s, for a type of washing powder.
The brand name was registered in 1926 as “Spic and Span” even though the product was only invented later and then released to the general public in 1933, almost ten years after the registration of the trademark.
Something that is exceptionally clean came to be described as 'spic and span' throughout the forties, especially in the United States, and the expression seems to have taken root.
The expression 'spic and span' to indicate cleanliness is something that has spread with the use of language, and today the saying gets used even in areas where the washing powder brand is almost completely unfamiliar.
The term can be used as 'spic and span' or alternatively with capitals as 'Spic and Span', both terms are considered valid ones.
Phrases Similar to Spic and Span
- Squeaky clean
Phrases Opposite to Spic and Span
- Dirty
What is the Correct Saying?
- [Something is] spic and span
Ways People May Say Spic and Span Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'spic and span' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the phrase when it gets used.
Something is 'spic and span' when it is clean, whether referring to one object or several.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Spic and Span
The correct way to use the phrase 'spic and span' is to use it when referring to something that is clean, or when denying that something is clean as 'not spic and span'.
Sometimes the phrase can be used with capitals as 'Spic and Span', or the use with ampersand as 'Spic & Span' is also valid.