"Kit and Caboodle" | When and How to Use this Useful Idiomatic Expression? • 7ESL

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You may have heard someone using the term ‘kit and caboodle’ during a conversation in English. But what does this term mean? We are going to take a look at the meaning behind this phrase as well as where it came from in the first instance. We will also look at ways in which the term can be used in a conversation.

Kit and Caboodle

“Kit and Caboodle” Meaning

When someone uses the phrase ‘kit and caboodle’ they are referring to something which has everything or is complete.

Origin of this idiom

The term ‘kit and caboodle’ originally came from the United States in the mid 19th century. The word caboodle is an old term which meant ‘everything’ or ‘the entire lot’ and kit refers to a set of items designed for a specific task.

“Kit and Caboodle” Examples

Examples in Statements

This is a statement which is being made by a television reporter.

‘The new shopping centre has so many shops, cafes and bars, it has the whole kit and caboodle.’

Here is a statement made by a doctor.

‘This patient really is very sick, I’m going to have to use the whole kit and caboodle to her him well again.’

Useful examples:

He said if I bought the whole kit and caboodle, I could have it for peanuts.
I want to get rid of the whole kit and caboodle.
We took along the whole kit and caboodle in the station wagon.

Conversation Examples

If you are curious to know how the idiomatic term ‘kit and caboodle’ works in a conversation, here are some examples to show how it might sound.

This first conversation is happening between two friends.

Person 1: “I hear that David is throwing a party this weekend.”
Person 2: “Yes, I’ve heard that he is having a disco, a bar, an inflatable hot tub and dancers.”
Person 1: “Wow, he’s going to have the whole kit and caboodle.”

This conversation is taking place at a school.

Person 1: “I need to find a book.”
Person 2: “Why not look in the library?”
Person 1: “Because this is a very unusual book and I can’t be sure that the library will have it.”
Person 2: “They are certain to have it, they have the entire kit and caboodle in there.”

Other Ways to Say the Phrase

There are many other ways in which you can express the meaning of the term ‘kit and caboodle.’ Here are some examples of other things you can say which have the same meaning.

All the trappings
The whole deal
Entire shebang
Whole shebang

Liam Daniel

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