all over bar the shouting

9.9

Only small formal steps remain before the result is final

idiom

: todo decidido menos los gritos

With such a big lead, the match was all over bar the shouting by halftime.

Examples

The merger is all over bar the shouting, just waiting for signatures.
The election results are all over bar the shouting.
After the committee's vote, it was all over bar the shouting for the proposal.
It's all over bar the shouting now that the contract is signed.
After the committee's vote, it was all over bar the shouting for the proposal.
The merger is all over bar the shouting, just waiting for signatures.
With such a big lead, the match was all over bar the shouting by halftime.

Synonyms

once and for all

vsall over bar the shouting

179 3.9

To end a problem completely so it never happens again

allows small remaining formalities though the main result is decided

that's that

vsall over bar the shouting

Informal

37 5.1

A final decision that cannot be changed or discussed

focuses on the decided result while minor formalities can remain

over

vsall over bar the shouting

25 1.0

Finished and no longer happening

stresses decision is already made with only small formalities left

all over with

vsall over bar the shouting

Informal

5 2.8

Finished and no longer happening

emphasizes that the outcome is settled though tiny steps may still occur

all over but the shouting

vsall over bar the shouting

Informal

1 9.2

The result is already decided and only small steps remain

is the same idea but uses alternate traditional wording

Antonyms

undecided

75 2.9

Not yet sure which option or side to choose

How Certain

all over bar the shouting

9.9

final

∞ 1.0

decided

2.6

likely

∞ 1.0

possible

∞ 1.0

uncertain

149 2.8

Surface Forms

all over bar the shouting main

Morphology

all + over + bar + the + shouting

Although 'all over' suggests something finished, the fragment 'bar the shouting' uses an archaic/prepositional sense of 'bar' (meaning 'except') and the whole phrase is an idiomatic British formulation. A B1 learner who knows the literal words is unlikely to combine them to reach the specific sense 'the result is decided except for minor formalities' without prior exposure, so the expression functions as an idiom.

Etymology

All over bar the shouting may come from old sports or fights where the winner was already clear but the crowd still had to cheer, so only the shouting was left. Here bar means 'except', so the phrase now means the result is already 'decided' and only small formal steps remain.