just the ticket

1. Also, that's the ticket. Exactly what is needed; exactly right. For example, This van is just the ticket for carrying all our luggage, or That's the ticket—you're handling that chain saw very well. The second phrase dates from the early 1800s, and the first is slightly newer. The exact allusion is disputed—it could be to a winning lottery ticket, a price tag for merchandise, or, as one writer suggests, a corruption of the French word etiquette for “appropriate behavior.” For a synonym, see way to go.

Example Sentences

A day of retail therapy can be just the ticket for some people to help them feel better about themselves.

From BBC

Jack Dempsey hasn't played a whole pile of rugby but his carrying and his intensity might be just the ticket to get Scotland over the line.

From BBC

But if you like the idea of a knockout side dish with a certain savory je ne sais quoi, this is just the ticket.

From Salon

In those cases, this folding saw is just the ticket.

From Los Angeles Times

So hiking, diving, caving and other activities on secluded volcanic islands 900 or so miles from the rest of Europe seemed to be just the ticket.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• achievement 
• attainment 
• contentment 
• gratification 
• perfection 
• realization