be-all and end-all

be all and end all

or be-all and end-all  (bē′ôl′ ənd ĕnd′ôl′)

n.

The quintessential or all-important element: "Not that the more spectacular athleticism is the be all and end all of free skating. Spins ... and intricate step sequences are also important" (Howard Bass).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

be-all and end-all

n

1. the ultimate aim or justification: to provide help for others is the be-all and end-all of this group.

2. often jocular a person or thing considered to be beyond improvement

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

be′-all` and end′-all`

n.

the ultimate object.

[1595–1605]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

be-all and end-all - the essential factor; the all-important element; the supreme aim; "profit is the be-all and end-all of business" be all and end all component, element, factor, ingredient, constituent - an abstract part of something; "jealousy was a component of his character"; "two constituents of a musical composition are melody and harmony"; "the grammatical elements of a sentence"; "a key factor in her success"; "humor: an effective ingredient of a speech"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

be-all and end-all

n the be-all and end-all → das A und O; it’s not the be-all and end-all → das ist auch nicht alles

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

be-all and end-all

[ˌbiːɔːlən/dˈɛndɔːl] the be-all and end-all (of sth) → il fine ultimo (di qc)

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995