Once and for good

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on May 10, 2007

In Reply to: Once and for good posted by ESC on May 10, 2007

: : What is the origin of "once and for good"? Is it only used in Britain, or also in America?

: The way I've heard it in the United States: once and for all. "I'm telling you once and for all (for the last time) stop doing that."

I'm from England and I've only ever heard "once and for all". I think this is a hybrid with "for good", which has a roughly similar meaning, as in "I'm giving up smoking, and this time I'm giving it up for good." (VSD)