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UKcut and dried
/kˈʌt and dɹˈaɪd/
/kˈʌt ænd dɹˈaɪd/cut and dried
[PHRASE]
What is the origin of the idiom "cut and dried" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "cut and dried" can be traced back to the practice of cutting and drying herbs or plants for specific purposes. In agriculture and herbal medicine, plants are harvested, cut into appropriate sizes, and then dried for usage in various applications. It was eventually adopted metaphorically to describe situations or decisions that are already prepared or settled, much like the finished process of cutting and drying plants. It is often used in discussions or descriptions of processes, policies, rules, or outcomes that are predetermined or firmly established, leaving little room for debate or further consideration.
Examples
1. Of course, things aren't so cut and dry in nature as most animals aren't very strongly K-selected or R-selected.
2. It's not quite the same and as cut and dry as OCD is.
3. So, the answer as to what console should you get isn't cut and dry at this point, as it never is.
4. Few cases are so cut and dry, however, and in all cases you generally need to get a judge to agree with you, with the burden of proof lying with the people trying to get someone declared dead earlier than the required number of years.
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