alpha and omega
The beginning and the end; the entirety of something. (Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.) In order to do well on the exam, you need to know the alpha and omega of the textbook. Do practicing lawyers really know the alpha and omega of law? Or are they just very well-versed in their particular subset of law? I'm sorry, are we supposed to write an essay on the alpha and omega of heroines in English literature in just two hours?
from A to Z
From the very beginning to the very end; covering or regarding the entire possible range or scope. We have to do a stock count of everything in the warehouse, from A to Z! This introductory philosophy course will examine the field from A to Z, beginning with the Greeks and finishing with the work of modern philosophers. In light of the scandal, the entire organization needs to be restructured from A to Z.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
alpha and omega
both the beginning and the end; the essentials, from the beginning to the end; everything, from the beginning to the end. He was forced to learn the alpha and omega of corporate law in order to even talk to the lawyers. He loved her deeply. She was his alpha and omega.
from A to Z
Fig. of a complete and wide variety. We have just about everything from A to Z. She ordered everything on the menu from A to Z.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
alpha and omega
The beginning and the end, the first and the last, as in She had to master the alpha and omega of the new computer program before she could even begin . This idiom and its meaning, based on the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, appears in the New Testament (Revelation 1:8): "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord," where it is repeated three more times.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
from A to Z
COMMON From A to Z means from the beginning to the end of an activity or including everything in a situation. I made a detailed plan and followed it from A to Z. Staff members were sent to assist the families with pretty well everything they needed from A to Z.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
alpha and omega
1 the beginning and the end. 2 the essence or most important features. Alpha and omega are respectively the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Christians use the phrase as a title for Jesus Christ, taking it from Revelation 1:8: ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord’.
2 1994 BBC Holidays At Cambridge…you'll find the alpha and omega of American academic life: historic Harvard and space-age MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
from A to Z
over the entire range; in every particular. 1998 Salmon, Trout & Sea-Trout In order to have seen Scotland's game fishing in its entirety, from A to Z, visiting 30 stretches of river and 350 lochs a year, you would have to be travelling for a hundred years.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
from A to ˈZ
very thoroughly and in detail: We need an expert who knows the subject from A to Z.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
from A to Z
mod. of a complete and wide variety. (see also
everything from A to Z.)
We have just about everything from A to Z. McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
from A to Z
Completely; thoroughly.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
alpha and omega, the
The sum of something, the beginning and the end, symbolized by the first (alpha) and last (omega) letters of the Greek alphabet. The Book of Revelation (1:8) states: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord.” The modern equivalent is
a to z. See also
from soup to nuts.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer