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• cut-and-dried
  cut-and-dried

  adjective

  prepared or settled in advance; not needing much thought or discussion.
• cut and dried
  cut and dried

  Ready-made, predetermined and not changeable. For example, The procedure is not quite cut and dried—there's definitely room for improvisation. This expression originally alluded to herbs for sale in a shop, as opposed to fresh, growing herbs. [c. 1900]

cut-and-dried

American  

[kuht-n-drahyd] / ˈkʌt nˈdraɪd /

Or cut-and-dry

adjective

1. prepared or settled in advance; not needing much thought or discussion.

   a cut-and-dried decision.

2. lacking in originality or spontaneity; routine; boring.

   a lecture that was cut-and-dried.

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cut and dried Idioms  

1. Ready-made, predetermined and not changeable. For example, The procedure is not quite cut and dried—there's definitely room for improvisation. This expression originally alluded to herbs for sale in a shop, as opposed to fresh, growing herbs. [c. 1900]

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Etymology

Origin of cut-and-dried

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Hunnicutt said it’s not so cut and dried.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2025

Details from this month’s meeting showed that the Bank’s committee voted 7-2 to hold rates, but the result was not as cut and dried as it had been previously.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2024

Price’s answer: birch trees sourced from the property, cut and dried out to create a divider.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 13, 2023

But how much blame they should shoulder this time is less cut and dried.

From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2023

Well, it turns out things weren’t that cut and dried.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell