Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

to all intents and purposes

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.96 in modern English

Syllables: to al-l in-tents and pur-pos-es
IPA

28

Scrabble Score

23

Letters

5

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

British usage

Example Sentences

"To all intents and purposes the case is closed."
"This treaty is to all intents and purposes no longer viable."
"With the arrival of the cold war, relations between the two countries (for this is, to all intents and purposes, what they became after the end of the war) were almost completely broken off, with whole families split for the ensuing decades, some for ever."
"Have you heard the word "gadgetbahn"? It's a portmanteau coined to describe transport proposals that, to all intents and purposes, ought to be delivered using proven railway technology... and yet go out of their way to be anything but a railway."

Etymology

1500s, English law, originally “to all intents, constructions, and purposes” (found in an act adopted under Henry VIII in 1547).

Usage

British usage

Inflected Forms

for all intents and purposes (alternative)

Synonyms

effectively essentially in essence in effect practically virtually TAIAP for all practical purposes for all intents and purposes

Questions

What does to all intents and purposes mean?: For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.
Where does to all intents and purposes come from?: 1500s, English law, originally “to all intents, constructions, and purposes” (found in an act adopted under Henry VIII in 1547).

How to pronounce to all intents and purposes

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