seen one, seen them all

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seen one, seen them all

All of these things are exactly alike; experiencing one of these things is enough to know what everything else of its kind will be like. A slangy, casual shortening of the longer phrase "when you've seen one (something), you've seen them all." Other verbs, such as "heard," "read," "done," etc. are also often used instead of "seen." I prefer dramas, if I'm honest. When it comes to action films, seen one, seen them all. I've never understood the appeal of all these different boy bands—heard one, heard 'em all.
See also: all, seen

seen one, seen them all

One example suffices, as in I'm afraid I don't care for home movies-seen one, seen them all. This world-weary expression was first recorded in 1811. A newer idiom expressing a very similar view is been there, done that, indicating that it is boring to repeat an experience once it has lost its novelty. For example, No, I don't want to climb Mount Washington; been there, done that. This idiom was first recorded in Australia in 1983 and was popularized in America in the 1990s through a widely aired commercial for a soft drink.
See also: all, seen

seen one, seen them all, if/when you've

They are all the same. This world-weary assertion was being made by the early nineteenth century. Mark Twain used it in Innocents Abroad (1869), “To me it seemed that when I had seen one of these martyrs I had seen them all.” See also been there, done that.
See also: if, seen
References in periodicals archive ?
However, I no longer watch these specials, mainly because - well, once you have seen one you have seen 'em all.
False start for Top Gear special edition
Centennial's ILS 35R is like any ILS--if you've seen one you've seen 'em all, right?--except this one has some restrictions at FIRPI, the IF on the localizer.
Crossing restrictions: we all know about 'em, but here's an in-depth look at both speed and altitude restrictions all the way down an arrival. As a bonus, we even start the approach with one
The same Ronald Reagan who said "If you've seen one redwood you've seen 'em all"?
Ronald Reagan and the environment
"See one miracle and you've seen 'em all!" was Reg's view.
A moving, if brief, epitaph to valour; TOON AND COUNTRY
Forget the volcanoes - after all, if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all - and they could have filmed the entire series in Scotland, possibly even in a single day.
off the Record
Unless you live in the desert or the rainforest you probably think "seen one lizard, seen 'em all".
We love telly: We love NATURE - LIFE IN COLD BLOOD BBC1, 9pm
Seen one menu and you've seen 'em all - but, hey, they're right on the doorstep of the cinema and offer an easy option.
The Mag: EATING OUT: Spain's own pick 'n' mix; LA TASCA, Solihull
PIAFIN 26 years as a music writer, I've seen 'em all but I'd have given anything to have heard Edith Piaf, who died in 1963 at 47, sing at Paris Olympia.
The day that rocked the world; 50 years ago a 19-year-old ex-truck driver cut a track in Sun Studios, 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, and the first rock 'n' roll record was born. BILLY SLOAN pays tribute to Elvis...and imagines a world without him
Even the scenery isn't all that - seen one rock, seen 'em all. BBC1, Sunday, 5.45pm
TV PEOPLE
Once you've seen one pair of Euro-tits, you've seen 'em all. Just a few more days and I'm back, in America, but now I'm feeling a little sentimental about this place-the food, the wine, the fact that I'm very far from home and I'm skateboarding still...
Beardo
Seen one, you've seen 'em all. And so the consumer sees none of them.
OF CARTONS AND BAGS AND SUCH
Then there's "seen one (name the ethnicity or gender), seen 'em all" -- a tendency by reporters to rely on one person to represent the opinions of an entire community.
Good cause still needs questioning: diversity proponents look at criticisms, challenges. (Varying the Voice)
"When you've seen one picture of a box of cereal, an electrical transformer or a bottle of medicine, you've seen 'em all."
Improving the product shot: use context to define meaning. (Photo Critique)
The fringe benefits of becoming a full-time cricketer have already made their mark; and not for him the Tufnell-esque philosophy of "If you've seen one Taj Mahal, you seen 'em all".
Cricket 99 Wagh aims to graduate into permanent opening role; The One To Watch
Virtually all of the secondary characters are indistinguishable - you've seen one British twit or bloodthirsty Jacobin, you've seen 'em all.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
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