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Etymology Journal ยท S

Sloppy as all get out

Meaning

This describes something that is done with zero care or attention to detail. It is a way of saying that a person is being incredibly messy or lazy.

Critical, informal

Used in a sentence

  • His paperwork was sloppy as all get out.
  • That paint job is sloppy as all get out, and he missed all the corners.
  • I cannot hire a contractor who works as sloppy as all get out.

The backstory

The phrase as all get out is a common intensifier in American English used to emphasize an adjective. It originated in the 19th century and remains a staple of folksy speech.

Heard in

The South, Midwest

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