Where "Flat Out" Comes From
On its own, "flat out" meaning "at maximum speed or effort" is a general English phrase, not a uniquely Australian one — it shows up across British and American English too. What is distinctly Australian is the extended, jokier version, flat out like a lizard drinking, first recorded in a New South Wales newspaper in February 1930, which plays "lying flat" off "going flat out" for comic effect.
In everyday Aussie speech you'll hear the plain "flat out" far more often than the full lizard version — "flat out" covers being run off your feet at work, driving at top speed, or just having a jam-packed week.
Source:
"Can't chat, we're flat out at work today."
How Aussies Actually Use It
It's used for anything from a hectic work shift to a jam-packed weekend with no downtime.
The full version, "flat out like a lizard drinking", adds an extra bit of very Australian imagery for comic effect.
You'll also hear "flat chat" — a close cousin with the same meaning ("We've been flat chat all week getting the order out"). It leans slightly more toward a busy stretch of work, and it's interchangeable with "flat out" in most sentences. Where "flat chat" comes from isn't firmly documented.
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