[Idiom] EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK. - Expand Your Vocabulary: Learn Fun English Expressions!
Everything but the kitchen sink.
Including a very large number of items.
When someone uses the phrase 'Everything but the kitchen sink', they mean that nearly every conceivable item (beyond the practical limits) has been included. This idiom is often used to describe packing for a trip where too much has been packed or attempting to solve a problem by throwing every possible solution at it, regardless of how practical these solutions are. The imagery of including even the kitchen sink captures the hyperbolic nature of this expression, which highlights an excessively nonsensical and thorough approach. It's a picturesque way to communicate that sometimes, less is more, and not everything is necessary for effective problem-solving or preparation.
Example Sentences
She packed everything but the kitchen sink.
Packing almost everything imaginable.
For the trip, they took everything but the kitchen sink.
Taking an excessive amount of items with them on the trip.
Moving into the new house, they seemed to have brought everything but the kitchen sink.
Transporting nearly everything when moving into the new house.