Definition of "foregone conclusion" []

• An end or a result regarded as inevitable: The victory was a foregone conclusion. See Usage Note at foregone. (noun)
• A conclusion formed in advance of argument or consideration. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "While the Party considered it something of a foregone conclusion that Jon Fox would go on to defeat Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, it was raining money on a congressional race in New Jersey that would take a miracle for the Republicans to win."
• "Wolf Larsen looked curiously at him, as though about to probe and vivisect him, then changed his mind, as from the foregone conclusion that there was nothing there to probe."
• "It was a foregone conclusion anyhow; if Hugh had gone up to no-weight, he would be heading either for Main Drive, or the Control Room, more probably the Control Room."