going, going, gone

going, going, gone idiom
No longer available, as in If you want this last doughnut speak up—going, going, gone! This expression, used by auctioneers to indicate the acceptance of a final bid for an item, is occasionally used more loosely, as in the example. It is beloved by baseball announcers when describing a home run as it approaches and clears the outfield wall. [c. 1800]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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