wall-to-wall 🧱
Definition: Completely covering available space. This expression, originating around 1930, initially referred to carpeting that covered the entire floor of a room. However, starting around 1960, it began being used figuratively, often hyperbolically. An example is “A respite from wall-to-wall Mozart on radios” (The Listener, April 19, 1973).
Synonyms: Excessive, omnipresent, pervasive, ubiquitous, all-encompassing.
Antonyms: Sparse, minimalist, scant, limited.
Expressions and Related Terms:
- Floor to ceiling: Occupying the entirety of vertical space.
- From soup to nuts: Covering everything from beginning to end.
- Full to the brim: Completely full; nothing more can be added.
- Packed like sardines: Overcrowded or cramped.
- End-to-end: Covering the entire length of something.
Witty Quotes:
- “Why be just a part when you can be wall-to-wall Stardom?” — Unknown
- “Some TV channels offer wall-to-wall news. Somehow, that doesn’t always leave more room for the truth.” — Anonymous
Proverbs:
- “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.” — Mae West
References and Recommendations:
Books:
- Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh – A humor book exploring exaggerated stories.
- Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? by Peter Walsh – A dive into how we fill our spaces with excessive items.
Movies:
- The Great Gatsby (2013) – Lavish parties with wall-to-wall luxury.
- Jingle All the Way (1996) – Wall-to-wall madness around holiday shopping.
Songs:
- “Space Oddity” by David Bowie – An exploration of expansive, limitless experiences.
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen – Lyrical expansiveness that feels wall-to-wall.
Poetry:
- Gunga Din by Rudyard Kipling – Overflowing with descriptive imagery.
- “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman – A poetic wall-to-wall celebration of the self.
### Which of these phrases means "very crowded or fully occupied"?
- [x] Wall-to-wall
- [ ] Licking the sunshine
- [ ] Knotting noodles
- [ ] Swimming in thought soup
> **Explanation:** "Wall-to-wall" is an idiom referring to something completely covering a space or being very crowded or fully occupied. The other options? Well, let's just say they don't quite fit the hyperbolic mold.
### Which phrase has a similar imagery to "wall-to-wall"?
- [ ] Twirling in raindrops
- [x] Packed like sardines
- [ ] Typing in the clouds
- [ ] Jiggling jellybeans
> **Explanation:** "Packed like sardines" describes something very crowded, much like "wall-to-wall." The other options... they're just colloquialisms gone astray.
### True or False: 'Wall-to-wall' initially referred to a type of carpeting
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Absolutely true! It originally described carpeting that covered the entire available floor space before evolving into more versatile, hyperbolic uses.
As you continue your idiomatic journey, remember, “The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy.” — Jim Rohn 📚✨
