'For All That' Idiomatic Expression Meaning and Samples

The idiom "for all that" is commonly used to express surprise, disbelief, or disappointment in a situation. It implies that one's expectations have not been met, despite the fact that one may have put a lot of effort into achieving their goal.

For example, imagine a student who has spent the entire week studying for a difficult test. Despite their effort, they wind up failing the test. They could say "For all that I studied, I still failed."

In another context, the phrase can also be used to describe situations where two conflicting ideas are true at the same time. For example, someone might say "I love my job, but for all that it still pays low."

Overall, the idiom "for all that" is a versatile expression used to express disappointment, surprise, or the simultaneous truth of two seemingly contradictory ideas.

"for all that" meaning and sample sentences

The origin of the idiom "for all that" is uncertain, but it is believed to have derived from the Middle English phrase "for al that" or "for al so". It was first recorded in the late 14th century, with the earliest known use being in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In this work, the phrase was used to express a sense of surprise at the events of the story.

The phrase eventually made its way into everyday language, and was commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was often used to express disappointment or disbelief at a situation, and to this day it is still used for that purpose. The phrase has also been used more figuratively to describe situations where two apparently conflicting ideas are both true.

In conclusion, the idiom "for all that" has been in use for centuries and is used to express disbelief, surprise, or the simultaneous truth of two conflicting ideas.

Consider these sample sentences of the idiom "for all that":

I worked for hours on this project, for all that it's still not finished.
She studied for days and still didn't get the grade she wanted, for all that.
Even though I've done my best, I'm still not successful, for all that.
I put my heart and soul into this job, for all that I'm still not being paid what I'm worth.
He spent months on this project, for all that it was still rejected.
I was hopeful for a better outcome, for all that.
Despite my hard work, I'm still not getting the results I wanted, for all that.
I thought I'd be able to make a change, for all that the situation is still the same.
I devoted all my time to this task, for all that it still wasn't completed in time.
She gave it her best effort, for all that it wasn't enough.

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