Jake
adj.calm, capableplayful
What it means
Satisfactory, agreeable, or in proper working order.
Reach for it when using dated informal reassurance that a situation is fine
Once the replacement fuse held, the electrician said everything was jake.
Choose between these
5- playful
hunky-dory
lighthearted reassurance suits the audience
not when Hunky-dory can trivialize a problem that still deserves careful monitoring.
- playful
shipshape
orderliness and readiness are visibly established
not when Shipshape concerns neat readiness, not whether an agreement feels acceptable.
- everyday
all right
the condition is acceptable rather than excellent
not when All right may concede mediocrity instead of conveying cheerful reassurance.
- everyday
simple reassurance is enough
not when Fine can sound grudging and lacks jake's deliberately old-fashioned flavor.
- professional
a measured standard has been met
not when Satisfactory is dry and may sound like faint praise in friendly speech.
Said against
3- faulty
- unsatisfactory
- troubled
It naturally appears in
3- everything is jake
After the safety check, the crew agreed that everything was jake.
- things are jake
Things are jake now that both families have approved the plan.
- perfectly jake
The old radio sounded perfectly jake after a careful cleaning.
Where this comes from
Jake in this sense is dated informal usage and can be mistaken for a personal name.
- Wiktionary, English adjective sense: adequate, satisfactory, or acceptable opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.