One of the most frustrating things is not getting a straight answer to something, or when people, supervisors and governments keep changing things. You never know where you stand sometimes and there is never any conclusive and final answer.
Sometimes a decision needs to be made and people go back and forth and there is no end or conclusion. When a decision is finally made and it is absolute and forever, people feel a calm, regardless of it benefited them or not.
In Psychological terms this is often referred to as closure and it gives people a sense of resolution and satisfaction knowing something is complete.
The phrase once and for all was first used in different forms as far back as the 1400’s. It seems to have first appeared in its current form in 1814 when Scott Waverley said: “I beg pardon, once and for all, all those readers ….”
Meaning:
When we say and use the phrase once and for all we do it in a way that is for good, finality and permanently.
Example of “Once and for all.”:
- We have decided once and for all, no more eating in the living room!
- There has much debate on the issues and the board has once and for all decided the issue.
Dialog:
Tara: Hey Ben, did you hear that they might be closing the company.
Ben: Well some people have been spreading rumors around, but it’s not true.
Tara: How do you know it is not true?
Ben: Well I was in a meeting this morning and they were talking about future plans to expand, so why would they do that if they are going to close?
Tara: Well, I also heard that Mr. Hughes has embezzled a lot of money.
Ben: You know, people need stop spreading these rumors. Once and for all, the company is doing just fine, like any other company it has it’s problems.
Tara: OK, I believe you.
Ben: It’sabout time because in the end of it all, it doesn’t help anyone.
Other words you can create: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc. (ex: mug – mugger)
Finally
Absolutely
Conclusively
Forever
Collocations:
I’ve made up my mind, once and for all.
The matter has finally been decided, once and for all.
Related phrasal verbs:
Wind up
When we use this phrase as it relates to, once and for all, it means to complete and to finalize.
- We need to wrap things up once and for all and move on.
End up
We use to express something that is a final outcome of doing something.
- We ended up building the house once and for all.
Bring to a close
When in the context of once and for all, when we say this we mean to cause something to finally come to an end or reach its final conclusion.
- We are going to once and for all bring this meeting to a close.
Be through with
This is a phrase we use to say we completely done with someone or something.
- Once and for all, we are through with paying for your mistakes.
Come to an end
Something that reaches finality.
- Once and for all, as with all things, his term as President has come to an end.
Wrap up
We use this phrase to indicate that we are completing something.
- We need to wrap up this issue and discussion once and for all.
Bring to a close
We use this phrasal verb to indicate ending something, or finalizing something.
- Let’s bring to a close our disagreement about this issue once and for all.
Related idioms:
Once in a blue moon
Something that happens only on a rare occasion.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
This phrase is used when we want to express something is absolutely true or we believe something with complete confidence.
Once a fool always a fool
To describe someone who might seem like they have change but in the end, they can’t because it is their true nature.
Once and Future
This phrase is used to describe a person or thing that is eternal and never changing.
For good and all
This phrase is used to indicated that something is done and finished.
For ever and ever
We use this phrase to say something is forever, for always.
For all time
When we use this phrase we are saying something will always be that way, it will never change.
In the end of it all
The final decision or outcome.
Call it a day
We use this phrase when we say that we are ending an event or task, usually related to work.
Pull the plug
When we pull the plug on something we terminate the activity.
Synonyms (other ways to say):
Once and for all time
For good and all
For all time
With finality
At last
In the end
It’s about time
Sooner or later
Every once in awhile
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