all for naught
Also found in: Acronyms.
(all) for naught
In vain; for nothing. Said of an effort that has resulted in failure. All of my hard work on that budget report was for naught when the computer system crashed.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
all for naught
Everything done has been in vain. Today a poetic word for “nothing,” naught formerly meant “morally bad” or “worthless.” Thus the King James version of the first Book of Kings (2:19) says, “The water is naught and the ground barren.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer