Green’s Dictionary of Slang

all in order, satisfactory; often as a response.

1847		J.M. Morton Box & Cox 19: Cox, my dear boy, let your mind recover its wonted tranquillity — it’s all serene — the umbrella is mine.
1852		Sligo Champion 19 Apr. 3/6: A policeman stopped two men at four in the morning, and said, 'What, have you two been hard at it, mates,' and Murphy said, 'It is all serene'.
1852		Punch XXII-III 227: A number of new and original proverbs on the approved model of ‘It’s all serene,’ and not a whit more sensible, it is hoped, than that now popular assertion.
1853		Dickens ‘Slang’ in Household Words 24 Sept. 74/2: Let some fellow rush forward and roar out ‘It’s all serene,’ or ‘Catch ’em alive, oh!’ (this last is sure to take), pit, boxes, and gallery roar with laughter.
1853		Sth Aus. Register (Adelaide) 30 Aug. 3/3: [A] person offered him £28 for his horse; not thinking the offer a serious one, as the horse was worth £110, he merely said ‘all serene,’ and took no further notice.
1854		Delhi Sketch Bk 1 Sept. 108/1: [cartoon caption] Spooney, Esq. — ‘I’ll play you level for 8 gold mohurs.’ Weaklad, Esq. — ‘All serene’.
1858		Bell’s Life in Sydney 17 Apr. 3/1: He was led to suspect that the ‘lady at the bar’ was not ‘all serene,’ and that she had been tripping it in the mazy realms of Terpsichore.
1860		Melbourne Punch 9 Aug. 7/1: ‘Slangiana’ [...] Why, dearest, call your boldness, cheek? / By all serene express your joy?
1863		T. Taylor Ticket-Of-Leave Man IV ii: Come along, Bob. All serene.
1870		B. Harte Luck of Roaring Camp (1873) 7: ‘How goes it?’ said Kentuck, looking past Stumpy toward the candle-box. ‘All serene,’ replied Stumpy. ‘Anything up?’ ‘Nothing.’.
1870		Cythera’s Hymnal 58: When Ma wiped the bum of one brother, / The other would cry ‘ll serene’.
1871		Hamilton Spectator (Vic.) 7 Jan. 1/7: If you ask him how he is, he is ‘all serene,’ ‘jolly,’ ‘ highcoct’ ‘ spotty ;’ perhaps he may be ‘out of sorts,’ ‘down in the mouth,’ ‘seedy’.
1880		W. Hooe Sharping London 36: Serene, all right.
1880		Wkly Times (Melbourne) 3 Apr. 17/1: The vineyard inspector, I suppose, was a ‘man of known ability,’ just like little Benjamin. If so, it’s all serene.
1881		Newcastle Courant 2 Dec. 6/5: ‘It’s all serene,’ said one, ‘the window’s open’.
1887		‘’Arry on His Critics’ in Punch 17 Dec. 280/1: So far, all serene.
1893		P.H. Emerson Signor Lippo 46: ‘All serene,’ says he.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 17 June 1/6: All serene, Layemstiff; she’ll score a brilliant defeat tomorrow.
c.1895		Harington & LeBrunn [perf. Marie Lloyd] You ain't ashamed o' me, are you, Bill? 🎵 ’Appy was we when we ?rst got wed, / Me an’ Bill, all serene!
1898		Kipling ‘In Ambush’ Complete Stalky & Co. (1987) 45: ‘All sereno, Foxibus.’ Stalky had reached the extreme stage of hiccups. ‘We — we’ll never desert you, Foxy.’.
1900		Wagga Wagga Exp. (NSW) 6 Jan. 3/3: ‘[Y]ou come home with me, and it’ll be all serene’.
1904		‘G.B. Lancaster’ Sons O’ Men 83: Oh, it’s all sereno for you.
1908		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Outside and Declined’ Sporting Times 8 Aug. 1/3: We are able to signal ‘All serene!’ / With no rocks ahead to threaten retribution.
1911		Gem 2 Dec. 4: Sereno!
1915		L.D. Richards (Leics. regiment) diary 24 Mar. 🌐 It was all serene; fags to smoke, and eggs and coffee.
1918		C.J. Dennis ‘Half A Man’ in Chisholm (1951) 104: But all me roustin’ leaves ’em both serene: / Women don’t see a little thing like that.
1920		Marvel 22 May 16: ‘All serene, Frank!’ responded the girl gaily.
1920		Sun. Times (Sydney) 29 Feb. 18/4: Gor’ blime, blokes, it’s all serene, / I’m starrin’ on the pitcher screen.
1924		F. Anthony ‘Violet Again’ in Me And Gus (1977) 50: She greeted me with a gracious smile, so I knew it was all serene.
1930		N. Lindsay Redheap (1965) 155: ‘All serene,’ said Robert. ‘We’ll get across to the Red bridge now, where he can’t follow’ .
1934		R. Sale ‘Nose for News’ in Goulart (1967) 222: Howdy, my cherub [...] All serene and sound?
1938		W. Watson Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (2000) 218: ‘All serene,’ said Miss LaFosse casually.
1952		Warwick Dly News (Qld) 18 Sept. 2/5: Everything is all serene in the Warwick Rodeo camp.
1957		D. Niland Call Me When the Cross Turns Over 64: ‘You sweet, Barbie?’ ‘All serene,’ she told him.
1961		‘Frank Richards’ Billy Bunter at Butlins 208: ‘All serene,’ said Bob.
1969		R. Rendell Best Man To Die (1981) 99: They wanted to know what I was doing about getting another job and all was serene.