When all things considered meaning?

  • Generally speaking; in terms of the big picture. Synonyms: all in all, by and large, for the most part, in the main, on the whole; see also Thesaurus:mostly, Thesaurus:generally

    Of course some areas are more dangerous than others, but all things considered Glasgow is quite a safe place to live.

  • Despite possible indications to the contrary. Synonyms: actually, as a matter of fact, in fact, overall; see also Thesaurus:actually

    Though only a few people attended the premiere, all things considered the play was rather a success.

    • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter XXXVII, in The History of Pendennis. [], volume II, London: Bradbury and Evans, [], published 1850, OCLC 2057953, page 356:

      [] and all things considered, I don't much regret that this affair with Miss Amory is manquée, though I wished for it once—in fact, all things considered, I am very glad of it.”

    • 1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend. [], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Chapman and Hall, [], published 1865, OCLC 1016551263, book the, page 159:

      Yet, all things considered, she was not of an evil mind or an unkindly disposition.

    • 1876, Henrietta H. Holdich, “My Georgie”, in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Harper & Brothers, page 421:

      All things considered, he would not have been such a bad match for Ida, only that I knew the child did not really care about him, and there was Georgie breaking her proud, patient little heart for his sake, and nobody saw it but one old woman, who had been through it all herself, and knew what it meant.

  • Given the constraints of the situation; relative to what would have been understandable. Synonyms: nevertheless, otherwise, considering

    Although rationing was strict, they had a couple of chickens and a vegetable patch and they ate well, all things considered.

    • 1719 April 25, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, [], 3rd edition, London: [] W[illiam] Taylor [], published 1719, OCLC 838630407:

      We had a good stock of tea, with which we treated our friends, as above, and we lived very cheerfully and well, all things considered.

    • 1905, Upton Sinclair, chapter VII, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, OCLC 1150866071:

      Jurgis lost his temper very little, however, all things considered.

  • Thesaurus / all things considered

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    Also found in: Acronyms, Wikipedia.

    Having weighed all aspects of a situation. Yeah, it rained a lot during our vacation, but all things considered, we had a great time. All things considered, she's making a great recovery. No, it's not the dress I really wanted, but it's fine, all things considered. This dress is almost as pretty and, more importantly, it's here in-store!

    See also: all, considered, thing

    Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

    considering all the facts, especially the problems or difficulties, of a situation: She’s had a lot of problems since her husband died but she seems quite cheerful, all things considered.

    See also: all, considered, thing

    Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

    When everything has been taken into account. The modern sense implies a careful weighing of all circumstances involved, making this phrase a precautionary one (compare it to when all’s said and done). G. K. Chesterton used it as the title of a collection of his essays (1908), and it also is the name of a thoughtful talk show on U.S. public radio. In both cases it is the idea of thoughtfulness that is stressed. In ordinary speech the phrase has been in common use for about a century.

    See also: all, considered, thing

    The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer

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    <a href="https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/all+things+considered">all things considered</a>

    His character was not unkind, all things considered; it might have been a very kind one indeed, if he had only made some round mistake in the arithmetic that balanced it, years ago.

    Yet, all things considered, she was not of an evil mind or an unkindly disposition.

    It would be showy and picturesque enough, all things considered, though I would have preferred noonday, on account of the more theatrical aspect the thing would have.

    Uncle Pumblechook, sensible of having deserved well of his fellow-creatures, said - quite vivaciously, all things considered - "Well, Mrs.

    Struthers's, or else arrive after she had started--which, all things considered, would no doubt be the simplest solution.

    All things considered, it was a relief when going-away time came.

    For Hugh St John Vereker the day had gone, all things considered, swimminglythough he was himself no swimmer, not a man of water, truth to say, of any sortwell.

    All things considered, it was low-hanging fruit for the NHGOP chair to raise the issue, no matter what you think of it