all over the place

English

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Prepositional phrase

all over the place

  1. (idiomatic) In multiple directions or locations, often haphazardly; everywhere.
    Synonym: scattershot
    They started firing all over the place.
    In Genoa there are stray cats all over the place.
    I've been looking for you all over the place.
    • 2004, Ruth Ozeki, All Over Creation, Penguin, →ISBN, page 267:
      I couldn't believe it. “This is insane! You don't know what you're getting into, Dad. We can't have lots of people swarming all over the place. You're supposed to be getting rest.”
  2. (idiomatic) Inconsistent; lacking a clear pattern; with a large amount of variation.
    Synonym: at random
    I asked each person in turn, and their answers were all over the place.
    • 2023 December 1, Emma Sanders, “England 3-2 Netherlands”, in BBC Sport:
      England were all over the place for the majority of the opening 45 minutes as gaps broke in defence.

Synonyms

Translations

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