✅ Done Deal: The Final Say on Final Agreements 🎯

Dive into the rock-solid realm of 'done deals.' Learn its origins, uses, and why it's a clincher in the world of decisions.

Done Deal: The Final Say on Final Agreements 🎯

Idiom Explanation

done deal, a

Meaning: An irreversible agreement, a final decision, or a compact.

Origins: The term “done deal” is a relatively fresh synonym for the venerable “fait accompli,” hailing from the late 1970s. However, it had a forerunner in “done thing,” which emerged around 1700. Charles Dickens used it in his famous work, A Christmas Carol (1843): “It was a done thing between him and Scrooge’s nephew.” The idiom is also frequently used in the negative form (“not a done deal”), signaling that the decision isn’t final yet, e.g., “We can interview another architect; it’s not a done deal, you know.”

Fait accompli: A thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept.
Finalized agreement: A decision or agreement that has been completed and confirmed.
Sealed fate: A decision that determines an inevitable outcome.
Cut-and-dried: As arranged or agreed without any possibility of variance.

Antonyms

Up in the air: Uncertain or unsettled.
On the fence: Undecided or uncommitted.
Open-ended: Without a definite or certain conclusion.

Quotes & Proverbs

“When a decision’s solid as a rock, it’s a done deal—but remember, rocks erode!” 🤔

“A closed book doesn’t mean the story’s over; sometimes you just need a sequel.” 📖

Cultural References & Suggestions

Literature

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: Delve into this classic where “done thing” makes a notable appearance.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Explore the era where societal deals were as decisive as today’s contracts.

Movies

The Godfather (1972): “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Deals in this film are often of the ‘done’ and fatal variety.
12 Angry Men (1957): Witness how a jury pushes back on the idea of a ‘done deal’ to seek real justice.

Songs

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder: Because once you’ve signed, sealed, and delivered, it’s undeniably a done deal.
“Take it to the Limit” by The Eagles: Sometimes pushing decisions to their limit defines their finality.

Poetry

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost: Reflect on how decision routes once taken become done deals in life’s journey.

Quizzes

### Which of these idioms also implies a finalized decision? - [ ] Chewing the fat - [ ] Hit the hay - [x] Fait accompli - [ ] Play it by ear > **Explanation:** "Fait accompli" is a term that, like "done deal," implies something has already been decided and is irreversible. ### True or False: "Not a done deal" means the agreement is still open to changes. - [x] True - [ ] False > **Explanation:** "Not a done deal" indicates the decision or agreement is not final and can still be altered. ### Which proverb conveys the permanence of "a done deal"? - [x] A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - [ ] Curiosity killed the cat - [ ] The early bird catches the worm - [ ] A rolling stone gathers no moss > **Explanation:** "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" implies having something certain (a done deal) is better than the potential of more that is uncertain.

Inspirational Farewell

Remember, every final decision in life is a stepping stone leading to new pathways. Don’t be afraid of the ‘done deals’. Let them be your anchors while you explore the vast, open seas of possibilities.

👋 Lexi Committia