kitchen sink
/ˌkɪt͡ʃ(ə)n ˈsɪŋk/
Frequency: 4.08 in modern English
Meaning
noun
A sink in a kitchen used for washing crockery, cutlery, utensils, food, etc., and disposing of waste.
noun
A miscellaneous item or a miscellany, especially exemplifying an indiscriminate profusion.
noun
In chained or tied to the kitchen sink, etc.: domestic chores or housework, especially when regarded as menial and tedious.
adj
Of or pertaining to a mid-20th-century realist style of painting in Britain characterized by scenes of dull or untidy domestic interiors such as kitchens in the homes of urban working-class people; also, of or pertaining to an artist or group of artists painting in this style.
British usage
adj
Of or pertaining to a mid-20th-century (especially 1950s–1960s) genre of drama, fiction, etc., in Britain depicting the harsh lives of working-class people; also, of or pertaining to a film, novel, play, etc., of this genre.
British usage
verb
To make (something) overly complicated or elaborate; to overcomplicate, to overwork.
British usage; Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "The kitchen sink was piled high with dirty dishes."
- "The present trouble centres round the kitchen sink. It is cracked and leaks."
- "They threw the kitchen sink at the problem, but still couldn’t fix it."
- "The April 1994 issue of Washingtonian ran an article by my friend Andrew Ferguson about corporate "multicultural training". Andy quoted one of the trainers (or facilitators, as they like to be called), whose job it is to instill "sensitivity" about age, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and the kitchen sink into employees of Washington businesses: […]"
- "The morning shows are now kitchen sinks, sometimes setting the network's news agenda for the day with interviews […] but always repeating bits of the previous night's newscasts, while promoting what's going to air on that night's shows."
- "How good are you at packing a car's trunk? Decide how big a challenge you want, then choose your cards to find out which of the crazy items – everything from a spare tire to the kitchen sink – you need to cram in."
Etymology
Word Breakdown
- Root: *pekʷ-
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌkɪt͡ʃ(ə)n ˈsɪŋk/
- British English: /ˌkɪt͡ʃ(ɪ)n ˈsɪŋk/