once and for all

once and for all

Permanently. Tom went back to the outpost to settle his feud once and for all. The president is hoping to silence critics once and for all with this latest law.

See also: all, and, once

once and for all

finally; permanently. Sue: I'm going to get this place organized once and for all! Alice: That'll be the day! "We need to get this straightened out once and for all," said Bob, for the fourth time today.

See also: all, and, once

once and for all

As a settled matter, finally, permanently, as in Once and for all, we're not hiring that organist again, or We've settled that question once and for all. This expression is in effect an abbreviation for "one time and for all time." [Late 1400s]

See also: all, and, once

once and for all (or once for all)

now and for the last time; finally.

See also: all, and, once

ˌonce and for ˈall

finally and definitely: I’ve decided once and for all that this city is not the place for me.

See also: all, and, once