What does 'A1' mean?
'A1' means first-rate or the very best. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English Wikisource records: “means first-rate—the very best. In Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, the character of the ship's hull is designated by letters , and that of the anchors, cables, and stores by figures. A1 means hull first-rate, and also anchors, cables, and stores; A2, hull first-rate, but furniture second-rate. Vessels of an inferior character are classified under the letters æ , e , and i . "She is a prime girl, she is; she is A1.— Sam Slick .”
Origin
- Verbatim from Brewer's (1898): means first-rate—the very best. In Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, the character of the ship's hull is designated by letters , and that of the anchors, cables, and stores by figures. A1 means hull first-rate, and also anchors, cables, and stores; A2, hull first-rate, but furniture second-rate. Vessels of an inferior character are classified under the letters æ , e , and i . "She is a prime girl, she is; she is A1.— Sam Slick .
How to use it
- Modern usage: 'A1' means first-rate or the very best.
- When quoting the origin, cite Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — this is a 19th-century record, not a modern etymology.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.