fait accompli

fait ac·com·pli

[fe ta-kawn-plee]
an accomplished fact; a thing already done: The enemy's defeat was a fait accompli long before the formal surrender.

Origin:
1835–45

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
fait accompli (fɛt akɔ̃pli) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl faits accomplis
something already done and beyond alteration
 
[literally: accomplished fact]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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00:10
Fait accompli is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fait accompli
1845, from Fr., lit. "an accomplished fact" (see feat).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
fait accompli [(fayt uh-kom-plee, fet ah-kohm-plee)]

Something that has already been done: “The company president did not discuss the new hiring policy with her board of directors; instead she put it into effect and presented the board with a fait accompli.” From French, meaning “an accomplished fact.”

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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