cut and dried
/ˌkʌt ən ˈdrʌɪd
/ [often with negative] (Of a situation) completely settled: the championship is not as cut and dried as everyone thinks...
- Firstly, it is a new day, the IPCC is a reality today, but I am not sure where opinions are being formed; please accept from us that we have received no firm, cut and dried, clearcut proposals in respect of any change.
- We are up at Workington next which is going to be a real tough game so it's definitely not cut and dried at the moment.
- He went on say that where bonus schemes were cut and dried and that was not fair, the situation should be looked at, and that drew more scattered applause.
Synonyms
definite, decided, settled, explicit, specific, precise, unambiguous, clear-cut, unequivocal, black and white, hard and fast
Early 18th century: originally used to distinguish the herbs of herbalists' shops from growing herbs
See parent entry: cut
- horrification
- horrifiedly
- horrify
- horrifyingly
- horripilate
- horripilation
- horrisonant
- horror
- horror show
- horror-stricken
- horror-struck
- horror vacui
- hors concours
- hors de combat
- hors d'oeuvre
- horse
- horse-and-buggy
- horse around (or about)
- horse artillery
- horseback
- horseback rider
- horseback riding
- horsebean
- horse-block
- horsebox