the be-all and end-all
Meaning: The most important thing, or the only thing that matters.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “Grades matter, but they're not the be-all and end-all of school.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From Shakespeare's Macbeth (around 1606), where Macbeth hopes the murder of Duncan "might be the be-all and the end-all" of the matter.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: L'alpha et l'oméga — literally: The alpha and the omega
More idioms — Daily Life
- year in, year out — Continually, every year without change.
- sign one's own death warrant — To do something that will cause one's own ruin.
- child's play — Something very easy to do.
- at death's door — Very close to dying, or feeling extremely ill.
- play devil's advocate — To argue against something, not out of belief, but to test the argument.
- every which way — In all directions, in disorder.
More English idioms
- sell one's soul to the devil — To give up one's principles in exchange for money, power or success.
- eat humble pie — To admit one was wrong and apologize humbly.
- a Tower of Babel — A noisy scene where many people speak different languages, or a confusion of voices.
- long time no see — A friendly greeting to someone one has not seen for a long time.
- a Judas kiss — An act of apparent friendship that hides betrayal.
- the ball is in your court — It is now your turn to act or decide.