Green’s Dictionary of Slang

well; in a satisfactory manner, all right.

1868		M.M. Pomeroy Nonsense 48: Luria was a husky Seraphim, descended all O.K. front ancient Bulkins.
1886		Lantern (N.O.) 29 Sept. 3: Favetto umpired the game all O.K.
1892		‘Coming of Age’ in ‘F. Anstey’ Mr Punch’s Model Music Hall 116: Don’t I look slap-up – O.K. and no mistake?
1914		R. Lardner You Know Me Al (1984) 63: He got Jackson O.K. but they was only one run behind then.
1920		R. Lardner Big Town 120: I don’t want to have no passengers along till I’m sure she’s working O.K.
1931		D. Runyon ‘Gentlemen, the King!’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 181: The little kid King stands okay with the people.
1945		F.H. Hubbard Railroad Avenue 199: He got along okay with the trainmaster.
1947		J. Maclaren-Ross Of Love And Hunger 210: Prospects like it O.K. but they don’t want to cough up nothing.
c.1950		K. Howard Small Time Crooks 38: Me an’ the boss’ll get by O.K.
1956		I. Fleming Diamonds Are Forever (1958) 35: If the job goes off okay.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 28: The old man got out okay.
1977		E. Bunker Animal Factory 39: Dennis must be doing okay out there.
1986		C. Hiaasen Tourist Season (1987) 19: Wiley, the asshole who writes that column. I hate the guy normally [...] But today he did okay.
1990		J. Wambaugh Golden Orange (1991) 101: Six fishermen who were doing okay from the looks of the battered buckets full of dead fish.
1992		M. Coleman Fatty 247: ‘I went okay in the first half but pretty ordinary in the second’.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 368: He generally did OK in the States.