dyed-in-the-wool
UK[ˌdaɪd ɪn ðə ˈwʊl]US[ˌdaɪd ɪn ðə ˈwʊl]
adj
(of a person) holding a particular belief or attitude in a very firm and unwavering way, especially one that is unlikely to change.
Etymology
the phrase originates from the traditional method of dyeing wool fibers before they are spun into yarn, which results in a much more thorough and permanent color than dyeing the finished fabric. this literal process from the textile industry was first used figuratively in english by the late 16th century to describe something as genuine or thorough. by the 19th century, it became a fixed idiom specifically applied to describe a person with deeply ingrained, unchanging beliefs or characteristics, emphasizing the notion of a quality being fundamental and unalterable from the very beginning.
Analysis
this is a fixed compound adjective formed from the past participle "dyed" and the prepositional phrase "in the wool". it functions as a single lexical unit.
Examples
he was a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist who resisted any form of modernization.
her dyed-in-the-wool optimism never faded, even in the face of repeated setbacks.
the team's most dyed-in-the-wool fans have supported them for over fifty years.