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Etymology Journal ยท N

No ifs, ands, or buts about it

Meaning

This is an emphatic way to state that a situation is a settled fact. It leaves no room for disagreement or doubt.

Assertive, definitive

Used in a sentence

  • That was the best meal I have ever had, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
  • He is the best person for the job, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
  • We are moving to the city, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The backstory

This is a grammatical expansion of the previous phrase, designed to add extra weight to a firm statement. It is a common rhetorical flourish in American English.

Heard in

Nationwide

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