dead-nuts

• deadnuts, dead nuts

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

dead-nuts (not comparable)

1. (informal) Precise, exact, completely accurate.
   • 2005, Michael Dregni, editor, Harley-Davidson: The Good, the Bad, and the Legendary, →ISBN, page 121:

     Bator, after hundreds of hours spent studying publicity stills, re-running tapes of the movie, and talking to cast and crew members, came up with a deadnuts duplication. Late last year, an exact replica of the Hopper chopper was completed, too.

   • 2011, Peter Pavia, chapter 13, in Dutch Uncle, →ISBN:

     “Told you that bitch was trouble. You gotta listen to old Mike.”
     “Okay, you were dead-nuts on that one.”

dead-nuts (not comparable)

1. (informal) Precisely, exactly, completely.
   • 1890 June 7, “Doubtful”, in Punch, or the London Charivari‎, volume 98, page 270:

     Jockey: My opinion's of little account,
     But I don't mind admitting, yer honour,
     I am not dead nuts on my mount.

   • 2000 June 11, Herb McCormick, “The Boating Report: Amid Big Names, an Underrated Sailor Wins Off Newport”, in New York Times‎, retrieved 5 January 2016:

     And all the boats are dead-nuts even.

   • 2012, David Freed, chapter 13, in Flat Spin‎, →ISBN:

     I nailed the localizer dead-nuts center, squared the glideslope indicator, slowed my airspeed and rode the needles all the way down at a steady ninety knots.

   • 2015, Alan Spector, chapter 27, in Body Not Recovered‎, →ISBN:

     “But I'm not having this conversation unless I'm dead-nuts sure that each of you would be willing to listen.”

• accurately, perfectly, slap bang; see also Thesaurus:exactly

• dead-nuts on