It’s an idiom familiar to British and American English. The phrase is used to refer to something ubiquitous. The subject who is being involved is scattered all over the place. Many other phrases have similar meanings to this idiom, like “all over the shop” and “all over the ballpark.”
The idiom “All Over the Show” typically means that something is disorganized, chaotic, or in a state of confusion. It can also refer to someone who is behaving erratically or unpredictably.
For example, if someone says, “My plans for the weekend are all over the show,” they mean that their plans are disorganized or not well-defined. Or if someone says, “His emotions were all over the show,” they mean that his emotions were fluctuating and unstable.
The idiom is informal and can be used in casual and formal settings, but it’s more commonly used in spoken than written English.
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a short phrase whose meaning is not literal. For example, “Apple of an eye” is an idiom for someone special or loved. Breaking this phrase will give a completely different meaning. Thus, an idiom is like a short jingle that indirectly expresses an unexpressed emotion, purpose, or information. Some other famous English phrases are “adding fuel to the fire,” which refers to provoking someone to fight or initiate it.
How to use the idiom “All over the show”?
This idiom is most suitable for things, words, signs, or anything spread all over the place thoughtlessly. For example, if the toys are lying everywhere in the house, the phrase will be used in the following manner:
- The toys are all over the show in the house.
- The essay has unnecessary punctuation all over the show.
The idiom has a similar meaning at various places of use. It’s similar to many other phrases of the 19th century. One of those idioms with a similar purpose is “All over the place.” The exact history of the timing when this phrase started is difficult to pinpoint.
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