# where did "two shakes of a lambs tail" come from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-two-shakes-of-a-lambs-tail-come-from/119513>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2002, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-two-shakes-of-a-lambs-tail-come-from/119513 "2002-07-18T01:18:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bdubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@bdubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdubs)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-two-shakes-of-a-lambs-tail-come-from/119513/1 "2002-07-18T01:18:42Z")

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Folks

Ever heard the expression “I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail?”

I have heard a few explanations of its meaning but I need some consensus here…

Who’s got the straight dope on this?

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**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-two-shakes-of-a-lambs-tail-come-from/119513/2 "2002-07-18T01:41:32Z")

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From **A Hog On Ice & Other Curious Expressions** by _Charles Earle Funk_ (c1948):

> [@](#):
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> One who has seen a lamb shake its tail, sees readily that this saying means with no loss of time…Usage appears to be entirely American, going back a hundred years or longer. The probabilities are that the saying is a humorous enlargement of the older “in a couple (or brace of, or two) shakes”…

From **Cool Cats, Top Dogs, and Other Beastly Expressions** by _Christine Ammer_ (c1999):

> [@](#):
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> …Lambs are playful creatures and move remarkably fast. Hence, _in two shakes of a lamb’s tail_ means “very quickly” or “very soon”, and has done so since at least 1840 in America.

I hope that helps.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-two-shakes-of-a-lambs-tail-come-from/119513/3 "2002-07-18T01:51:46Z")

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Tastes yummy with mint sauce. 😃