Everything but the kitchen sink

Meaning

The idiom "everything but the kitchen sink" means to throw everything, even nonessential things, into a situation or task until it's overloaded and can't handle any more. It's used to describe someone who is trying to do too much and includes things that are not necessary for the task at hand.

Usage

• John always tries to do everything but the kitchen sink when working on his projects, which leads to missed deadlines and a high level of stress.
• When planning a dinner party, it's easy to get carried away and include everything but the kitchen sink, leading to a chaotic event that leaves guests feeling overwhelmed.
• The project manager decided to throw everything but the kitchen sink into the development process, resulting in a product that was over budget and behind schedule.
• When shopping for groceries, it's important to avoid adding everything but the kitchen sink, as it can lead to overspending and buying unnecessary items.
• During the construction phase of their new home, the builders included everything but the kitchen sink, leading to delays and budget blowouts. The usage of the idiom can vary depending on the context. In some cases, it might be used in a negative way to describe someone who is trying too hard and overcomplicating things. On the other hand, it could also be used to describe someone who is being creative and going above and beyond what is expected of them.

Roots and History

The origin of this idiom can be traced back to the early 20th century when people started using the phrase "everything but the kitchen sink" to describe the idea of throwing everything into a situation or task. The phrase gained popularity in the 1940s during World War II when soldiers would often include anything and everything they had in their backpacks, including kitchen items such as utensils and cookware, to make life on the front lines easier. Over time, the idiom has evolved to mean something slightly different. Today, it is used to describe someone who is trying too much and including things that are not necessary for the task at hand.

Synonyms in English

• Overkill
• Too much of a good thing
• Going overboard
• Doing too much
• Excessive

Synonyms in other languages

• オバリー (Overly) - Japanese
• ¡Qué loco! (That's crazy!) - Spanish
• אַנִֵּי תַּרְגּוּן אֶת־הַחֲלִים כַּשׂ נֶהֲטֶה בַּת־יַכּוּבוּ מֶח מַחְכֵּן אֶת־הַכַּל־אֶת־הַנֶּהֲג שֶׁב־נוסף (I don't like to eat junk food) - Hebrew
• اللائتفاء بعضهوا اللائتفاء (Get together with some friends) - Arabic
• شكنة كبيرة (Big party) - Arabic

Similar Idioms

• eat like a horse

• early days

• eat words