point of no return
18
5.5
- noun
- /pɔɪnt əv noʊ rɪˈtɜrn/
:
punto de no retorno
- We have reached a point of no return in our negotiations, and we cannot change our decision now.
- pass the point of no return
- reach the point of no return
Are we at the point of no return with runaway climate change?
- Are we at the point of no return with runaway climate change?
- You would just sail through through, just like the rowboat falling past the point of no return.
- And he makes that threat right before we reach the next key turning point, what I call the point of no return.
- I have this thing which I think might be fairly common, which is this idea that perhaps I'm past the point of no return.
- But the, the, the true point of no return for me was his declining to, to accept a peaceful transfer of power.
- Hopefully we can not get to the point of no return, but it seems like we just keep heading that way and so now is the time to engage.
- That to me has always been the point of no return.
- I have the point of no return, so I I just have to see it through.
- And I'm not sure we haven't gotten beyond the point of no return.
- But if you catch yourself overheating too fast, it's a point of no return kind of feeling.
- And then we're going to have an A next moment that identifies what I call the point of no return.
Examples
-
Are we at the point of no return with runaway climate change?
-
In the last hour, they had passed the point of no return.
Fiction book (1991) -
We have reached a point of no return, Mr. Bob.
-
Gentlemen, you are all past the point of no return.
-
Some are past the point of no return.
Academic text (2009) -
Come on, Rob, do you want us to pass the point of no return?
Blog text (8) -
We are at a point of no return in saving our Republic!!
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A couple of the kids may be nearing a similar point of no return.
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There's so much talk of this point of no return for the effects that we have had on our planet's climate.
-
The government's attempts were futile, for the radicalization of the movement had reached a point of no return.
Academic text (1993)
Synonyms
43
5.3
A moment when a small event causes a big, lasting change
31
4.8
A point after which you cannot go back or undo a decision
A point of no return when a decision cannot be changed
How Final
18
5.5
43
5.3
104
3.7
118
4.2
281
1.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'point' (a stage) + 'no' (not any) + 'return' (going back) yields 'a stage at which going back is not possible.' This logic is cross-linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'punto de no retorno') and follows straightforward English noun-denoting constructions, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Point of no return may come from old flying and sailing talk: it was the place where a plane or ship had used so much fuel that it could not go back. So, after that point, there is 'no' return, and that is why we use the phrase for a moment when it is impossible to 'go back' or 'change your decision'.