fait accompli

Borrowed from French fait accompli (“an accomplished fact”), from fait (“a fact”) + accompli (“accomplished”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌfeɪt.əˈkɔm.pli/, /ˌfeɪt.əˌkɔmˈpli/

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fait accompli (plural faits accomplis)

1. An accomplished fact, something that has already occurred.

   Synonym: (US) done deal

   • 1857, Anthony Trollope, chapter XLVII, in Barchester Towers. […], copyright edition, volume II, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, published 1859, →OCLC, page 272:

     Mr. Quiverful's appointment to the hospital was, however, a fait accompli, and Mr. Harding's acquiescence in that appointment was not less so.

   • 1913, Saki, When William Came, Chapter VII:

     “In quarters where the fait accompli is an object of solicitude,” said Yeovil.

   • 2003, Matthew Restall, Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 65:

     The phrase “Spanish Conquest” and all it implies has come down through history because the Spaniards were so concerned to depict their endeavors as conquests and pacifications, as contracts fulfilled, as providential intention, as faits accomplis.

   • 2018, Shoshana Zuboff, chapter 10, in The Age of Surveillance Capitalism:

     [Hal] Varian awards surveillance capitalists the privilege of the experimenter's role, and this is presented as another casual fait accompli.

Often said of something irreversible and/or performed without going through standard procedure, completed before those affected by it are in a position to query or reverse it.

• IPA^(key): /fɛ.t‿a.kɔ̃.pli/

• Audio (CAN)

  (file)

fait accompli m (plural faits accomplis)

1. a fait accompli, a done deal

• Most often used in the expression “placer/mettre quelqu’un devant le fait accompli” meaning “to present somebody with a fait accompli”.

fait accompli m (plural faits accomplis)

1. fait accompli (an established fact)