all-purpose

[ awl-pur-puhs ]

/ ˈɔlˈpɜr pəs /

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See synonyms for all-purpose on Thesaurus.com

adjective

for every purpose: an all-purpose detergent.

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Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

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Origin of all-purpose

First recorded in 1925–30

Words nearby all-purpose

all-pass, all-points bulletin, Allport, all-powerful, all present and accounted for, all-purpose, All Quiet on the Western Front, all right, all right for you, all right with one, All roads lead to Rome

How to use all-purpose in a sentence

But along with the cartoon funk is an all-too-real story of police brutality embodied by a horde of evil Pigs.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The benefits of incumbency are quite potent, especially in the all-important area of raising campaign funds.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The building used to be an all-girls school, and when it was initially purchased by Fortune it was dilapidated.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
By setting no goals, the player must find their own purpose.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST

This led to the formation of a Christian militant group to counter the rebels, and all-out sectarian violence exploded.
The Year’s Most Forgotten Humanitarian Crisis|Nina Strochlic|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some were even re-arrested for the same nefarious purpose, and the daily papers published their names on each occasion.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
I called out several times, as loud as I could raise my voice, but all to no purpose.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
He had discovered that the all-glorious boast of Spain was not exempt from the infirmities of common men.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The emperor Nicholas of Russia declared, by ukase, his purpose to assist Austria.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
For the purpose of ascertaining the Board's powers in this connection the opinion of the Attorney General has been requested.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips

British Dictionary definitions for all-purpose

all-purpose

adjective

useful for many things

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

all-purpose

Origin of all-purpose

Words nearby all-purpose

Words related to all-purpose

How to use all-purpose in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for all-purpose