These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘sundry.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. The origin of the phrase ‘all and sundry’ goes back a long way earlier than my childhood, even though that was some time ago now. In fact it is one of the oldest expressions in English that we still use today. can my landlord ask me to prepay rent There are examples of it in print in Old English, Middle English and modern-day English. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

• Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers.
• When I was a child there was a drawer in our kitchen sideboard where we kept miscellaneous bits and pieces which didn’t have a place anywhere else – string, curtain hooks, scissors, that kind of thing.
• This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.
• There are examples of it in print in Old English, Middle English and modern-day English.
• In fact it is one of the oldest expressions in English that we still use today.

Our current use of the term sundry items is to mean ‘separate
items not important enough to be mentioned individually’ and that is what people mean when they use the phrase ‘all and sundry’.

Words Near All-and-sundry in the Dictionary

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms. When I was a child there was a drawer in our kitchen sideboard where we kept miscellaneous bits and pieces which didn’t have a place anywhere else – string, curtain hooks, scissors, that kind of thing. We called it, for no especially good reason, the rubbish drawer. Perhaps the sundry drawer would have been a better name.

• These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘sundry.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
• The origin of the phrase ‘all and sundry’ goes back a long way earlier than my childhood, even though that was some time ago now.
• All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only.
• Our current use of the term sundry items is to mean ‘separate
  items not important enough to be mentioned individually’ and that is what people mean when they use the phrase ‘all and sundry’.
• We called it, for no especially good reason, the rubbish drawer.