Street voices
Hugues
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United States
"Everyone and their mother. A hyperbolic way of saying everyone. Dude, you're not going to believe this. The Americans just landed on the moon. Hey, newsflash. Everyone and their mother watched it happen on TV. We already know."
What it means
Hyperbolic way to say basically everyone, like the crowd is so big you’re swearing even your buddy’s mom is there. Used when a place is packed, a trend is everywhere, or everyone already knows the news. It can sound annoyed, amused, or both, depending on tone. Classic everyday American exaggeration.
Usage examples
"I tried to get brunch at 11 and everyone and their mother was in line, so we grabbed gas station snacks and called it fancy."
"I thought a Tuesday matinee would be quiet, but everyone and their mother had the same idea and the popcorn line wrapped around the lobby."
Where it comes from
A homely exaggeration built on the idea that a crowd is so big even people's mothers turned up. American English stacked the family detail on top of plain everyone to make the throng feel even larger.
Editors of this term
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