sunset

go (off) into the sunset

To resolve or conclude things in a neat, happy, and satisfactory fashion; to retire from work, use, or relevance, especially on a positive note or after a long and successful period of activity. An allusion to the clichéd ending to a movie in which the main characters are shown traveling into the sunset at the conclusion of the film. Often used sarcastically, ironically, or humorously. Despite the turbulence in the first few years, the president is now going off into the sunset with a sky-high approval rating and a whole host of policies enacted under his watch. I'm tired of comedies that see everyone just go into the sunset at the end. How about showing some realistic consequences for the things these types of characters do? If I could retire today, I'd happily go off into the sunset—but I'm only 35!

See also: go, sunset

ride (off) into the sunset

To resolve or conclude things in a neat, happy, and satisfactory fashion; to retire from work, use, or relevance, especially on a positive note or after a long and successful period of activity. An allusion to the clichéd endings of western movies, often showing the main characters riding horseback into the sunset at the conclusion of the film. Often used sarcastically, ironically, or humorously. Despite the turbulence in the first few years, the president is now riding off into the sunset with a sky-high approval rating and a whole host of policies enacted under his watch. I'm tired of comedies that see everyone just ride into the sunset at the end. How about showing some realistic consequences for the things these types of characters do?

See also: ride, sunset

sail (off) into the sunset

To resolve or conclude things in a neat, happy, and satisfactory fashion; to retire from work, use, or relevance, especially on a positive note or after a long and successful period of activity. An allusion to the clichéd ending to a movie in which the main characters are shown traveling into the sunset at the conclusion of the film. Often used sarcastically, ironically, or humorously. Despite the turbulence in the first few years, the president is now sailing off into the sunset with a sky-high approval rating and a whole host of policies enacted under his watch. I'm tired of comedies that see everyone just sailing into the sunset at the end. How about showing some realistic consequences for the things these types of characters do?

See also: sail, sunset

sunset clause

A clause or provision specifying that a given law will expire after a certain date or period of time unless it is extended by further legislation. The only way they would back our funding bill was if we included a five-year sunset clause to allow for renegotiation down the line. The sunset clause of the tax exemption for low-income earners is set to expire at the end of the year.

See also: clause, sunset

sunset law

A law that includes a clause or provision specifying that said law will automatically expire after a certain date or period of time unless it is extended by further legislation. The tax exemption for low-income earners was a sunset law that is set to expire at the end of the year.

See also: law, sunset

sunset provision

A clause or provision specifying that a given law will expire after a certain date or period of time unless it is extended by further legislation. The only way they would back our funding bill was if we included a five-year sunset provision to allow for renegotiation down the line. The sunset provision of the tax exemption for low-income earners is set to expire at the end of the year.

See also: sunset

sunset years

The final years of a person's life, especially those spent in retirement. The economic crash has been especially devastating to the retired and the elderly, whose pensions they had been expecting to live off of in their sunset years have now evaporated in a matter of days.

See also: sunset, year

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

one's sunset years

Euph. one's old age. Many people in their sunset years love to travel. Now is the time to think about financial planning for your sunset years.

See also: sunset, year

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

ride off into the sunset

achieve a happy conclusion to something.

In the closing scenes of westerns, the characters are often seen riding off into the sunset after everything has been resolved satisfactorily.

See also: off, ride, sunset

sunset years

the last years of a person's life. euphemistic

See also: sunset, year

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

ride off into the sunset, to

A more or less happy ending or resolution. This cliché was originally a visual one—the classic final scene of the western films so popular from the 1930s on, in which the cowboy hero, having vanquished the evildoers, literally rides off into the sunset. It was transferred to other happy endings, usually with some irony, in the mid-twentieth century. “I didn’t even bother getting mad at your crack about me going off into the sunset,” wrote William Goldman (Magic, 1967).

See also: off, ride, to

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer