plainly, and without having to say anything else.

They closed the museum because, pure and simple, it cost too much to run.

No one talked about issues or referred to facts — it was just gossip, pure and simple.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form purely and simply:

It was purely and simply the most marvelous vacation.

• Go tell it to the marines.
• Go tell that to the marines.
• go the distance
• go the extra mile
• go the full distance
• go the whole hog
• go the whole nine yards
• go thin on top
• go through
• go through fire and water
• go through hell
• go through hoops
• go through like a dose of salts
• go through like a hot knife through butter
• go through like a knife through butter
• go through someone like a dose of salts
• go through something like a dose of salts
• go through something like a hot knife through butter
• go through something like a knife through butter
• go through the floor
• go through the mill
• go through the motions
• go through the roof
• go through the wringer
• go through with