Done and dusted

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the informal phrase “done and dusted” as “completely finished or ready”. It is generally accepted that the expression comes from the time when people wrote with quill and ink. To dry the ink, powder was sprinkled on the paper. This was then dusted off when the ink was dry.

This is an example of an alliterative phrase, in which the key words start with the same sound. Alliterative phrases are often used in speeches and slogans to get people’s attention:

• Proper preparation prevents poor performance.

You also often see alliteration in the names of companies, pop groups, etc.:

• Coca-Cola, PayPal, Backstreet Boys

English has a large number of alliterative expressions, including:

• good as gold (= behaving very well or in very good condition)
• right as rain (= completely well or healthy)
• rough and ready (= simple but good enough)