beat all

beat all

To be beyond the bounds of imagination or belief, as in a surprising, shocking, or amazing occurrence. Well that beats all! I wasn't expecting to have you here for Christmas! We just bought our first house, and now my husband's been laid off. Now doesn't that just beat all? The dog figured out how to open the latch on the fence, and the cows took off after him! That just beats all, huh?

See also: all, beat

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

beat all

Surpass anything, especially in a strange or amazing way, as in Adam and his cousin Eve eloped-doesn't that beat all! This phrase appears to have replaced beat the Dutch. It is often used in a negative construction, as in the example. [Slang; first half of 1800s] Also see to beat the band.

See also: all, beat

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.

beat all

To be impressive or amazing. Often used in negative conditional constructions: If that doesn't beat all!

See also: all, beat

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.