ENGLISH
REFERENCE

whole shooting match

idiom
Meaning

Everything; the entire collection, endeavor, or activity.


Origin

disputed origin

Compare whole shitting match. Perhaps that term is a vulgarization of this term, or this term is a bowdlerization of that term.

Examples
SIMPLE

I want to buy the whole shooting match.

CONTEXTUAL

He sold his house, his car, and his furniture, selling the whole shooting match before moving abroad.

COMPLEX

The new manager decided to reorganize the department, replacing the staff, the software, and the whole shooting match to improve efficiency.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be no match for

    To be outmatched by; to be much weaker, less capable, or less desirable than.

  2. 02

    game, set, match

    An expression indicating finality, announcing that a series of events—usually involving some form of rivalry—has reached a conclusion.

  3. 03

    go the whole hog

    To do something as completely or entirely as possible; to hold back or reserve nothing.

  4. 04

    have the whole bakery

    To have large, callipygian buttocks; to be caked up.

  5. 05

    match made in heaven

    A relationship, such as a marriage, that is happy and successful, sometimes because the partners are very compatible.

  6. 06

    match made in hell

    A relationship that is likely to be unhappy or unsuccessful because the two partners are very incompatible with each other.

  7. 07

    shitting match

    A pointless competition, dispute or conflict, often over some trivial matter.

  8. 08

    smoke the whole pack

    To be made to go all in on something one only wanted a lesser amount of.

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