all over but the shouting
1
9.2
- idiom
- Informal
:
todo decidido menos los gritos
- At this point in the election, it's all over but the shouting; the results are clear.
Examples
-
Once the final whistle blew, it was all over but the shouting for the losing team.
-
With the final match lost, it's all over but the shouting for our championship hopes.
-
It's all over but the shouting at this point.
Blog text (25) -
Well, Carolina beat them yesterday, so it's all over but the shouting!
Blog text (28) -
Just watching MSNBC, well it's all over but the shouting.
Blog text (5)
Synonyms
179
3.9
To end a problem completely so it never happens again
37
5.1
A final decision that cannot be changed or discussed
3
5.6
Completely finished and settled so nothing more needs doing
Only small formal steps remain before the result is final
Antonyms
How Certain
Surface Forms
Morphology
all + over + but + the + shouting
The constituents yield a fairly direct image: 'all over' = finished, 'but' = except, and 'the shouting' = the vocal reaction, so a learner can infer 'finished except for the shouting' → the outcome is decided and only reactions/formalities remain. However, the phrase is a fixed colloquial idiom and the inference that 'shouting' represents mere remaining formalities (not substantive uncertainty) is somewhat cultural and not fully predictable without exposure, so it is not fully transparent.
Etymology
All over but the shouting may come from old games or fights where the action was finished but the crowd kept shouting. So, it means 'the result is already decided and only small, formal things remain'.