It’s a Wrap
Meaning
It’s a wrap is an expression, that is our heritage from the film industry of the early 20th century.
It is used to conclude something, that has been done well and is now ready to be presented.
Anonymous reports say, that after the destruction of the Death Star, Admiral Ackbar exclaimed “It’s a wrap!”
Origin
The phrase comes from the 1920’s, when the photography part of a film shoot was concluded by the director with the phrase “It’s a wrap” meaning the footage is ready to go to post production.
Wrap is also used as a term for rushing someone in the phrase “Wrap it up” which further implies its connection to completion.
Wrap in the film industry is said to be a backronym for “Wind, Reel and Print.”
Spread and Usage
The obsession of humanity with movies had led to the rapid and thorough spread of the expression, getting embedded in everybody’s minds, despite not having attended a shoot.
By the turn of the century, most people already knew and used the expression, but Urban Dictionary further contributed to the spread of the phrase, when users started uploading definitions on the sentence in 2004.
External References
- Urban Dictionary – It’s a wrap
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