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conclusion

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foregone conclusion

An inevitable result. After how poorly the team has played so far this season, it's a foregone conclusion that they won't make it to the championship.

See also: conclusion, foregone

bring something to a successful conclusion

to complete something successfully. They brought the battle to a successful conclusion. The case was brought to a successful conclusion by the prosecutor.

See also: bring, conclusion

come to a conclusion

 

1. to reach a decision. We talked for a long time but never came to any conclusion. Can we come to a conclusion today, or do we have to meet again?

2. [for a process] to reach the end and be finished. At last, the yearlong ordeal of buying a house came to a conclusion. I was afraid that the opera would never come to a conclusion.

See also: come, conclusion

foregone conclusion

Cliché a conclusion already reached; an inevitable result. That the company was moving to California was a foregone conclusion. That the mayor will win reelection is a foregone conclusion.

See also: conclusion, foregone

jump to conclusions

 and leap to conclusions

Fig. to judge or decide something without having all the facts; to reach unwarranted conclusions. (See also rush to conclusions.) Now don't jump to conclusions. Wait until you hear what I have to say. Please find out all the facts so you won't leap to conclusions.

See also: conclusion, jump

reach a conclusion

to complete discussion and decide an issue. It took three days of talks to reach a conclusion. When we reach a conclusion, we will notify you of the results.

See also: conclusion, reach

rush to conclusions

to try to reach a conclusion too fast, probably with insufficient evidence; to jump to conclusions. I hope that you don't rush to any conclusions. I can explain this. I'm afraid you are rushing to conclusions when you speak of canceling the performance.

See also: conclusion, rush

in conclusion

(slightly formal)

finally He said in conclusion that cooperation between investigators had helped catch the suspects.

Usage notes: used by a speaker or writer to begin a final statement

See also: conclusion

jump to conclusions

to judge a situation without enough information about it The investigation isn't finished, so let's not jump to conclusions about what caused the plane to crash.

See also: conclusion, jump

a foregone conclusion

a result that is obvious to everyone even before it happens (not used with the ) It seems like this year's election results are a foregone conclusion. (often + that ) It's certainly not a foregone conclusion that we'll win.

See also: conclusion, foregone

jump to conclusions

to guess the facts about a situation without having enough information I might be jumping to conclusions but I've seen them together twice in town.

See also: conclusion, jump

foregone conclusion, a

1. An outcome regarded as inevitable, as in The victory was a foregone conclusion.

2. A conclusion formed in advance of argument or consideration, as in The jury was warned to consider all of the evidence and not base their decision on a foregone conclusion . This idiom probably was invented by Shakespeare ( Othello, 3:3) but scholars are not agreed as to his precise meaning. [c. 1600]

See also: foregone

jump to a conclusion

Form an opinion or judgment hastily, as in Wait till you have the facts; don't jump to a conclusion. [c. 1700]

See also: conclusion, jump