CUT AND DRIED definition: 1. already decided and unlikely to be changed: 2. simple and easy to understand: 3. already…. Learn more.

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 …

Where does the phrase cut and dried come from? The earliest known use of the phrase cut and dried is in the mid 1600s. OED's earliest evidence for cut and dried is from 1660, in Middlesex …

Jul 2, 2021 · A: The expression as it first appeared in the mid-17th century was “cut and dried.” But the other version, “cut and dry,” was also used early on, and it’s not incorrect. Most …

Jan 4, 2025 · In formal usage, the form cut and dried is more common than cut and dry, and the meaning is rather “settled” than “clear”, and mildly pejorative, following original usage and …

Mar 26, 2024 · Where Does 'Cut-and-Dry' Come From? The idiom 'cut and dry' originates in the practice of cutting and drying herbs and plants for medicinal use. In the 18th and 19th …

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 …

Cut and dried. Means completed and pre-arranged with the connotation of lack of spontaneity and freshness. The expression dates from the 18th century and derives perhaps from the cutting …

Dec 22, 2007 · 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 …

The phrasal adjective cut and dried describes things that are (1) prepared and arranged in advance, or (2) ordinary or routine. The phrase’s exact origins are mysterious, but it seems to …

In fact, it started as “cut and dried.” Between 1714 and 1739, “cut and dry” stepped into the lead and then did again between 1744 and 1767 and a third time between 1782 and 1787. But …

The origin of the idiom "cut and dried" is unclear, but it has been in use since at least the mid-19th century. One theory suggests that it comes from the way farmers would dry their fruit by …

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 …

Origin of "Cut and dried" The origin of the idiom "cut and dried" can be traced back to the process of cutting and drying herbs. When herbs are cut and dried, they become ready for use and are …

Oct 15, 2024 · When you’re having a chat in English, you might hear the phrase “cut and dry.” This reference guides you through its meaning and origins, along with examples of how it can …

Idiom: Cut and dried Meaning: If something is cut and dried, then everything has already been decided and, in the case of an opinion, might be a little stale and predictable.