kitchen sink

¹

noun

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

   He packed everything for his trip except the kitchen sink.

kitchen-sink

²

[ kich-uhn-singk ]

adjective

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

   a kitchen-sink approach to moviemaking.

kitchen sink

noun

1. a sink in a kitchen for washing dishes, vegetables, etc
2. everything but the kitchen sink
   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

Word History and Origins

Origin of kitchen sink¹

1870–75, for literal sense

Origin of kitchen sink²

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

It works best on flat surfaces, such as in the kitchen sink, to generate the vacuum pressure necessary to release a clog.

From Washington Post

Cleaning your floors, bath tiles, and kitchen sinks can go so much quicker with the help of a great spin scrubber.

From Popular-Science

Until the day the kitchen sink fell apart in my hands at the vegan doughnut shop.

From Eater

The habit is so ingrained now that she estimates it only takes her family 10 to 15 minutes to clear the table, load the dishes and scrub the kitchen sink.

From Washington Post

Instead, countries threw the kitchen sink at the virus, enacting many measures simultaneously.

From Science News

I used to fantasize about emptying his Smirnoff bottle in the kitchen sink and filling it back up with water.

From The Daily Beast

No one in this disturbing mini-kitchen sink drama ends up looking good.

From The Daily Beast

A lot of crickets said the film was chaotic—kitchen-sink school of drama.

From The Daily Beast

Is it hard writing the second season after putting everything and the kitchen sink into the first?

From The Daily Beast

I just finished a film here in LA called Kitchen Sink, which is again something very new to me and very different.

From The Daily Beast

Then I got my new watering-pot, filled it at the kitchen sink, and gently watered the hopeful earth.

From Project Gutenberg

S, Pipe to conduct cold water to a cock over the kitchen sink.

From Project Gutenberg

Came to my house to fix a pipe under the kitchen sink—wouldn't quit at six o'clock.

From Project Gutenberg

"Michael Doyle, the plumber, told me to come here and look at the kitchen sink," they heard.

From Project Gutenberg

The kitchen sink may also be of any type you prefer but let there be light where it is hung.

From Project Gutenberg