Question

Everything but the Kitchen Sink practically everything there is; every possible object whether needed or not

Accepted Answer

When Erin went away to college, she took everything but the kitchen sink. This expression was born in the early 20th century and became popular after World War II (the late 1940s). The kitchen sink is heavy, connected to pipes, and usually bolted down, so it's not easily movable. But if you took everything but the kitchen sink, you'd be taking virtually all there was. Related sayings are "from soup to nuts" (see page 69) and "from A to Z."

Idiom	Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Example	When Erin went away to college, she took everything but the kitchen sink.
Meaning	practically everything there is; every possible object whether needed or not
Origin	This expression was born in the early 20th century and became popular after World War II (the late 1940s). The kitchen sink is heavy, connected to pipes, and usually bolted down, so it's not easily movable. But if you took everything but the kitchen sink, you'd be taking virtually all there was. Related sayings are "from soup to nuts" (see page 69) and "from A to Z."

Kitchen Sink Erin College Practically Object Needed Expression