ENGLISH
REFERENCE

everything but the kitchen sink

idiom
Meaning

Almost everything, whether needed or not.


Origin

first recorded 20th c.

Originally military slang, 1944.

Examples
SIMPLE

She packed everything but the kitchen sink for her short weekend trip.

CONTEXTUAL

When we moved into our new apartment, my brother insisted on bringing everything but the kitchen sink, even though we only had space for the essentials.

COMPLEX

The amateur explorer arrived at the base camp carrying everything but the kitchen sink, clearly unaware that the steep mountain path would require a much lighter load.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    call someone everything but a child of God

    To call someone many abusive names.

  2. 02

    everything and the kitchen sink

    Alternative form of everything but the kitchen sink.

  3. 03

    everything in the garden is rosy

    Things are going well; everything is fine.

  4. 04

    everything one touches turns to gold

    Everything someone uses or does succeeds or becomes better.

  5. 05

    everything one touches turns to shit

    Everything someone uses or does fails or becomes worse.

  6. 06

    kitchen table software

    Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

  7. 07

    let that sink in

    Used to urge someone to take ample time to fully process or comprehend a surprising, shocking, or impactful statement.

  8. 08

    sink in

    To become completely known, felt, or understood.

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