Definition of OK adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

OK

adjective, adverb

/əʊˈkeɪ/

(also okay)

(informal)

safe and well; in a calm or happy state
- Are you OK?
Synonyms well
wellall right ▪ OK ▪ fine ▪ healthy ▪ strong ▪ fitThese words all describe somebody who is not ill and is in good health.
well [not usually before noun] (rather informal) in good health:
I’m not feeling very well.
Is he well enough to travel?
Well is used especially to talk about your own health, to ask somebody about their health or to make a comment on it.all right [not before noun] (rather informal) not feeling ill; not injured:
Are you feeling all right?
OK [not before noun] (informal) not feeling ill; not injured:
She says she’s OK now, and will be back at work tomorrow.
all right or ok?These words are slightly less positive than the other words in this group. They are both used in spoken English to talk about not actually being ill or injured, rather than being positively in good health. Both are rather informal but OK is slightly more informal than all right.
fine [not before noun] (not used in negative statements) (rather informal) completely well:
‘How are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks.’
Fine is used especially to talk about your health, especially when somebody asks you how you are. It is also used to talk about somebody’s health when you are talking to somebody else. Unlike well it is not often used to ask somebody about their health or make a comment on it: Are you keeping fine? healthy in good health and not likely to become ill:
Keep healthy by exercising regularly.
strong in good health and not suffering from an illness:
After a few weeks she was feeling stronger.
Strong is often used to talk about becoming healthy again after an illness.fit (especially British English) in good physical health, especially because you take regular physical exercise:
I go swimming every day in order to keep fit.
Patterns
- all right/OK/fit for something
- all right/OK/fit to do something
- to feel/look well/all right/OK/fine/healthy/strong/fit
- to keep (somebody) well/healthy/fit
- perfectly well/all right/OK/fine/healthy/fit
- physically well/healthy/strong/fit
Extra Examples
- I'm perfectly OK now, thanks.
- He should be OK for the game on Saturday.
- I think we should be OK here for the night.
- She looks OK to me.
- She says she's OK now, and will be back at work tomorrow.
- She worries too much—I'll be perfectly OK.
- Write and let me know you're OK.
- Did they get there OK?
Topics Feelingsa1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verbs
- be
- feel
- look
- …
adverb
- perfectly
- quite
- really
- …
preposition
- by somebody
- with somebody/something
See full entry
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OK (for somebody) (to do something) all right; acceptable; in an acceptable way
- Is it OK if I leave now?
- Is it OK for me to come too?
- Does my hair look okay?
- I think I did OK in the exam.
- Whatever you decide, it's okay by me.
- an okay movie
Express Yourself Asking for permission/a favour
Asking for permission/a favourYou are more likely to get what you want if you can ask for it politely. Here are some ways of asking whether you may do something:
- Would you mind if I opened the window?
- Could I possibly borrow your phone?
- I hate to ask, but could I please borrow your phone?
  (North American English)
- Do you happen to have a spare pen I could borrow?
- Would it be all right if I left five minutes early?
- Is there any chance that we could stay at your house the night before our flight?
- Would it be OK to leave my bag here?
Responses:
- Yes, of course.
- Go ahead.
- That's fine.
- I'd rather you didn't, if you don't mind.
- I'd prefer it if you asked somebody else.
- If there's someone else you can ask, I'd be grateful.
Extra Examples
- I hope the meeting goes OK.
- Is it OK with you if I come around six?
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verbs
- be
- feel
- look
- …
adverb
- perfectly
- quite
- really
- …
preposition
- by somebody
- with somebody/something
See full entry

Word Originmid 19th cent. (originally US): probably an abbreviation of orl korrect, humorous form of all correct, popularized as a slogan during President Van Buren's re-election campaign of 1840 in the US; his nickname Old Kinderhook (derived from his birthplace) provided the initials.

See OK in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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