phrase🎓 English idiom

the whole shebang

the entire thing, everything

What it means

The entire thing, including every part or detail. It is an informal way of referring to all of something with nothing left out.

Examples

  • They rented a hall, hired a band, the whole shebang, for their anniversary.
  • When she throws a party, she does the whole shebang, decorations and all.
  • The package includes flights, hotel, meals, the whole shebang.
  • He didn't just buy the bike; he got the helmet and gear, the whole shebang.

Where it comes from

The word 'shebang' appeared in American English in the 1860s, originally meaning a hut or shelter; its later sense of 'everything' is of uncertain but clearly American origin.

Related idioms

#the whole kit and caboodle#the whole nine yards#across the board#last but not least

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