Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a general phr. of greeting.

1918

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2010

1918		Aussie (France) 4 Apr. 3/2: He was hacking at the earth with much determination and vigour, when another digger hailed him with: ‘How’s she going, Mulga?’ ‘Not too bad,’ he replied, cheerfully.
1929		‘Henry Green’ Living (1978) 241: How are you Colonel, how’s it going?
1939		R. Chandler ‘I’ll Be Waiting’ in Red Wind (1946) 131: Hello, Al. How’s it going?
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 17: How’s it, sport?
1954		Wodehouse Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit 40: Hullo there, Wooster, how’s it going?
1965		E. Bond Saved Scene x: Oi, ’ello then. ’Ow’s it goin’?
1970		B. Crump ‘A Good Keen Girl’ in Best of Barry Crump (1974) 241: ‘How’s she going, Kersey?’ ‘How’s what going?’ ‘Well, how’s married life treating you?’.
1972		Eble Campus Sl. Oct. 3: how’s it happening? – a greeting equivalent to Hi, how are you?
1975		Sun. Times Mag. 12 Oct. 22: Hallo, Nobby, how’s it going?
1987		R. Campbell Alice in La-La Land (1999) 66: ‘So how’s it goin’, Mike?’ she asked brightly.
1999		Guardian Guide 4–10 Sept. 12: Hello son, how’s it going?
1999		Indep. on Sun. Rev. 22 Aug. 14: He’d say things like, ‘Hey, brah!’ and ‘How’s it?’.
2004		C. Brookmyre Be My Enemy 98: How’s it going, bro?
2010		Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 14 Jan. 🌐 Howzeet? — (Cape Town version) Very laid back and friendly (greeting).