all the world and his wife

Questions

What does all the world and his wife mean?

Everybody imaginable.

Where does all the world and his wife come from?

From Polite Conversation by Jonathan Swift, 1731.

How to pronounce all the world and his wife

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “all the world and his wife”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “all the world and his wife”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “all the world and his wife” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.