Everything But the Kitchen Sink: Meaning Discovered

Ever felt like someone was throwing everything at you but the kitchen sink?

This colorful idiom refers to when someone includes pretty much every possibility or item they can think of.

So, how did this amusing phrase about overdoing things come about?

Let’s dive in and explore everything, but the kitchen sink itself as we unpack the meaning, origins, usage, and more around this staple saying.

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways
‘Everything but the kitchen sink’ means including an excessive amount, symbolizing overabundance.
Originated in the 1920s, possibly with military roots, it illustrates the idea of packing everything but the immovable sink.
It humorously reflects the human tendency to overprepare or include too much in various contexts.

What Does “Everything but the Kitchen Sink” Mean?

When someone decides to pack “everything but the kitchen sink,” they are essentially packing or including as many items as possible, covering almost every conceivable base.

They are leaving no stone unturned and tossing in everything under the sun in an excessive display of thoroughness and quantity.

The saying evokes imagery of someone emptying out their entire home, grabbing everything in sight to take with them, only to pause when they run across the bulky kitchen sink itself!

Like, “Whoa, gotta draw the line somewhere, no way am I lugging the sink along too!”

So the poor sink gets left behind, surrounded by a missing blender, toaster oven, pots and pans, and seemingly every other belonging.

In essence, “everything but the kitchen sink” conveys packing in great and unnecessary excess. Just one step down from true, utter excess where you grab literally everything, sink and all!

Just when you thought we’d thrown everything but the kitchen sink at you, we invite you to dive deeper into the world of idioms and discover why they’re more than just the icing on the cake of language.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink: Origins of the Idiom

While the precise origin story of the idiomatic phrase remains uncertain, researchers have uncovered early printed references to “everything but the kitchen sink” dating back over a century.

The first documented appearance is found in a 1918 edition of the newspaper The Syracuse Herald.

Over the ensuing decades, various close variations also cropped up in print, including the similar phrase “everything but the kitchen stove” found in an 1894 publication called the Jeffersonville National Democraft.

Linguists theorize the current enduring version evolved from this earlier form.

However, “everything but the kitchen sink” truly skyrocketed into widespread popularity and usage during the World War II era.

The saying was employed across Allied military ranks and home fronts, often appearing in literature and news articles referencing the immense barrage of firepower, resources, and military personnel directed at opposing Axis forces – everything bombarding the enemy short of ripping sinks from kitchen walls to throw at them too!

Of course, through continued use over time, the phrase has firmly taken on more colorful, figurative meanings related to general excess and not just wartime excess.

But next time you use this idiom, you can impress friends with its origins in early 20th-century print, the World War II fascination with excessive military capture, and the image of an overflowing, overstuffed kitchen sink left behind in the rush!

Using “Everything but the Kitchen Sink” in a Sentence

Let’s look at some examples that demonstrate how to effectively use this idiom:

“Jenny packed everything but the kitchen sink for her month-long backpacking adventure abroad.”

Here, the phrase underscores how excessively prepared Jenny is, like she tossing in every single item that remotely might prove useful in some wildly unlikely scenario.

“The chef created a wildly inventive dish that seemed to include everything but the kitchen sink – he even topped it with a sprinkling of cocoa powder!”

This humorously conveys how the experimental chef included pretty much any and every ingredient he had on hand.

Here are some more examples of using everything but the kitchen sink in a sentence:

Example Sentences Using ‘Everything but the Kitchen Sink’
When she moved out for college, she packed everything but the kitchen sink into her tiny car.
Their new smartphone model comes with everything but the kitchen sink; it’s truly a marvel of technology.
For our camping trip, it felt like we brought everything but the kitchen sink, yet we still forgot the matches.
The author’s debut novel included everything but the kitchen sink, making it a dense but fascinating read.
His argument was so loaded with evidence, it had everything but the kitchen sink to prove his point.
The new exhibit at the museum features everything but the kitchen sink from the artist’s collection.
I asked for a simple burger, but they gave me one with everything but the kitchen sink on it.
In preparing for the storm, they stocked up on everything but the kitchen sink to ensure their safety.
The garage sale had everything but the kitchen sink, from antique furniture to vintage records.
For the potluck, everyone brought everything but the kitchen sink, resulting in an eclectic and abundant feast.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink: Synonyms and Variations

There are a few common variations on the basic idiom:

Synonym/Variation	Meaning
Everything and the kitchen sink	Including absolutely everything, even the sink.
Everything including the kitchen sink	Including everything possible, sink included.
Left no stone unturned	Explored every possibility.
Covered all the bases	Addressed or prepared for every aspect.
Pulled out all the stops	Did everything possible to achieve something.
The whole ball of wax	Everything, all aspects included.
The whole shebang	The entire thing or experience.
The full monty	Everything, the complete package.
The whole enchilada	The whole thing, in its entirety.
The whole nine yards	Everything, all of it.
The works	All available options or features.

Other Idioms About Excess

The English lexicon is chock full of idioms creatively conveying the concept of excess. A few favorites are:

• Go Whole Hog – This 1800s Americanism refers to roasting an entire pig and conveys doing something with total effort and extravagance. “We decided to go whole hog when planning the wedding and splurged on everything.”
• Over the Top – With likely military roots again, going “over the top” to charge enemy trenches has come to mean anything excessive or too extreme. “Adding the velvet cake tower dripping with caramel was over the top for a kid’s birthday party.”
• Paint the Town Red – Figuratively “paint the town red” is to celebrate boisterously late into the night. It stems from those who would get so uproariously drunk that buildings and streets sometimes appeared soaked in red. “After acing the bar exam, Ann really wanted to go paint the town red.”

Interesting Facts and Stories

Mark Twain was one famous early adopter of “everything but the kitchen sink,” using the idiom in his 1894 novel Pudd’nhead Wilson:

“He emptied his pockets of all his odds and ends of rubbish, firecrackers and nondescripts [sic]…and he overflowed his pockets with them, reloaded them, stuffed them full, poured them in, mashed them down, packed them solidly — in, and yet they weren’t full. I seemed to see that boy load down to the ground with everything but the kitchen stove, the growing family washing, and the winter’s coal….”

Mark Twain

How wonderfully vivid and humorous a depiction of figurative over-packing from the incomparable literary wit!

In the 1988 movie Big starring Tom Hanks, his tween-turned-adult character is completely baffled by the sophisticated New York City toy store, musing:

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place that has absolutely everything including the kitchen sink.” A cheeky nod to the excessive bounty around him.

So why does this idiom about excess seem to permeate cultures touch so deeply?

Perhaps “everything but the kitchen sink” taps into a tendency present across humanity – the inclination towards overpreparing and stuffing in every provision, good, tool we can get our hands on.

You know, just in case!

Goes to show how powerful idiomatic language can uniquely reveal our common quirks.

Closing the Tap on “Everything but the Kitchen Sink”

The enduring, visually evocative image of the lone kitchen sink left behind as everything else gets scooped up truly sums up over-the-top, excessive behavior.

Next time you’re tempted to overpack the car or overstuff ingredients into a dish, you may just want to pause and ask yourself – am I really about to toss in everything but the kitchen sink itself?!

After all, the poor sink has feelings too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go…

Dive Deeper into Idiom Meanings!

If you’ve enjoyed unpacking “everything but the kitchen sink,” why not dive a little deeper into the world of idioms? Expand your linguistic treasure chest with these intriguing reads:

• Hang-Dog Air: Discover the origins and nuances behind this descriptive idiom that paints a vivid picture of one’s appearance or demeanor. Explore the hang-dog air article.
• Plain Sailing: Life isn’t always “everything but the kitchen sink” complex; sometimes it’s “plain sailing.” Unravel the meaning and history of this idiom that promises smooth seas ahead. Sail smoothly into the plain sailing article.

Each article offers a unique glimpse into the rich tapestry of language, providing you with entertaining insights and enhancing your command of idioms. Happy reading!