open-and-shut
UK[ˌəʊpən ən ˈʃʌt]US[ˌoʊpən ən ˈʃʌt]
adj
(of a case or argument) so straightforward and clear-cut that it is easily decided or solved.
Morpheme Breakdown
open
and
shut
open
unfastened
and
conjunction
shut
closed
Etymology
The compound adjective "open-and-shut" is a vivid metaphorical creation from the early 19th century, originating in American legal slang. It directly borrows the literal, physical actions of opening and closing something, such as a door or a box, to describe a legal case or argument. The logic is brilliantly simple: a matter that is as easily and definitively resolved as the unambiguous actions of opening and then shutting something, leaving no room for doubt or further debate. This concrete imagery evolved into its modern abstract meaning, denoting any situation or problem that is immediately obvious and simple to settle.
Analysis
Structure: open (unfastened) + and (conjunction) + shut (closed)
- open: From Old English 'openian' (to open), of Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning not closed or fastened.
- and: From Old English 'and', 'ond', a conjunction used to connect words or clauses.
- shut: From Old English 'scyttan' (to put a bolt in place, to close), of Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning closed or fastened.
Examples
The prosecutor claimed it was an open-and-shut case of theft, given the clear video evidence.
With such a straightforward contract, the negotiations should be open-and-shut.
The math problem seemed complex at first, but her explanation made it open-and-shut.