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• kitchen sink
  kitchen sink

  noun

  the final item imaginable on any extensive list of usually disparate items.
• kitchen-sink
  kitchen-sink

  adjective

  marked by an indiscriminate and omnivorous use of elements.

kitchen sink

¹ American  

noun

1. the final item imaginable on any extensive list of usually disparate items.

   He packed everything for his trip except the kitchen sink.

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kitchen-sink ² American  

[kich-uhn-singk] / ˈkɪtʃ ənˈsɪŋk /

adjective

1. marked by an indiscriminate and omnivorous use of elements.

   a kitchen-sink approach to moviemaking.

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kitchen sink British  

noun

1. a sink in a kitchen for washing dishes, vegetables, etc

2. everything that can be conceived of

3. (modifier) denoting a type of drama or painting of the 1950s depicting the sordid aspects of domestic reality

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Etymology

Origin of kitchen sink¹

1870–75, for literal sense

Origin of kitchen-sink²

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

They could have called it the Drano Edition because they threw in the kitchen sink.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

On this particular Sunday, he was underneath the kitchen sink as Kraus spoke to the Journal nearby.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

“The administration may throw the kitchen sink at the market to try and fix housing,” he said.

From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025

The home secretary will be hoping her "throw the kitchen sink at it" approach gradually reduces arrivals and increases deportations.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

I rinse off the handkerchief in the kitchen sink and reapply it.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse