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3. once over lightly

once over lightly

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once over lightly

Cursorily, quickly, as in I did go over the program once over lightly, but perhaps I should read it more carefully. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

See also: lightly, once

once over lightly

1. mod. quickly and superficially; carelessly; cursorily. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) He looked at it once over lightly and agreed to do it.

2. n. a perfunctory examination; a quick glance. Once over lightly is not enough.

See also: lightly, once