Point of no return

A particular irreversible action (such as setting off an explosion or signing a contract) can be a point of no return.

The first major metaphorical use of the term in popular culture was in the 1947 novel Point of No Return by John P. Marquand.

The novel and play concern a pivotal period in the life of a New York City banker.

In the course of the story, the character faces two "point of no return" realities: first, that his quest for a big promotion will mean either triumph or a dead end to his career, and second, that he can never go back to the small-town life he abandoned as a young man.

There are a number of phrases with similar or related meaning: The point of safe return (F) is the last point on a route at which it is possible to safely return to the departure airfield with the required fuel reserves still available in the tanks.

Andalusi exile Abu Hafs orders his troops to torch their ships before their conquest of Crete (9th century). Miniature from the 12th-century Byzantine codex Madrid Skylitzes .