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Where does the term cut and dry?
Etymology. 1710, from herbs being cut and dried for sale, rather than fresh.
Is the phrase cut and dry or cut and dried?
Most standard dictionaries accept both forms, giving “cut and dry” as a variant or less common version. To say that something is “cut and dried”—a decision, speech, proposal, etc. —means that it’s been decided or settled in advance. Some dictionaries add that it can mean clear and unambiguous.
How do you use cut and dry?
The dominant modern usage is “cut and dried.” When used to modify a noun, it must be hyphenated: “cut-and-dried plan.” BUY THE BOOK!
Is the saying cut dry?
If you say that a situation is cut and dried, you mean that it is clear and definite.
What is the origin of the phrase cut and dried?
The first known use of the expression is in a letter to a clergyman in 1710 in which the writer commented that a sermon was “ready cut and dried”, meaning it had been prepared in advance, so lacking freshness and spontaneity.
Where does the saying cut and run?
Cut and run or cut-and-run is an idiomatic verb phrase meaning to “make off promptly” or to “hurry off”. The phrase was in use by the 1700s to describe an act allowing a ship to make sail quickly in an urgent situation, by cutting free an anchor.
What is cut and dry personality?
lacking in originality or spontaneity; routine; boring: a lecture that was cut-and-dried.
What does it mean to not be cut and dry?
Ready-made, predetermined and not changeable. For example, The procedure is not quite cut and dried—there’s definitely room for improvisation. This expression originally alluded to herbs for sale in a shop, as opposed to fresh, growing herbs. [ c. 1900]
What is dry attitude?
When someone says about someone else that they have a “dry personality,” they most likely mean that that person doesn’t show many emotions. The “dry personality” person might be generally subdued and doesn’t stand out much. They might not have any hobbies or hobbies that might seem boring to others.
Where did saying hi and dry come from?
Stranded, as in They walked out on the party, leaving me high and dry. This expression originally alluded to a ship that had run aground or was in dry dock. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.
Is cut and run an idiom?
Cut and run or cut-and-run is an idiomatic verb phrase meaning to “make off promptly” or to “hurry off”.
What is the meaning of idiom cut and run?
Definition of cut and run : to leave quickly in order to avoid danger or trouble You can’t just cut and run when your friends are in trouble.
What is dry slang for?
to be devoid of people.
What does high and dry mean slang?
Definition of high and dry 1 : being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water. 2 : being in a helpless or abandoned position.
What does high and dry phrase mean?
Definition of high and dry 1 : being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water. 2 : being in a helpless or abandoned position. Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More About high and dry.
What does cut and dried mean?
The phrase cut and dried means completely decided, fixed beforehand. The theory that fits both the chronology and the circumstances of the usage is that the phrase originated in herbalists’ language: cut and dried herbs were those that were ready for use, as contrasted with those that were still growing.
Is the phrase cut and dried hyphenated?
When it appears before a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated. The coursework is cut and dried, so don’t even think about coming to me in pursuit of extra credit. There are no cut-and-dried solutions here. We need to come up with something.
Where did the term “cut and dried herbs” come from?
The theory that fits both the chronology and the circumstances of the usage is that the phrase originated in herbalists’ language: cut and dried herbs were those that were ready for use, as contrasted with those that were still growing.
What is the origin of cut and dried timber?
cut and dried Commonplace, routine, hackneyed; settled beforehand. The term dates from the early eighteenth century, and there is some disagreement as to its origin. Most authorities believe it referred to timber, which customarily is cut to standard sizes and dried before it is used.