Board games are cool and all but what about card games?
What does and all* mean? And would this mean the same thing if we said “cool and everything”?
meaning
Board games are cool and all but what about card games?
What does and all* mean? And would this mean the same thing if we said “cool and everything”?
Best Answer
As used here, and all is a colloquial expression—do not use it in formal contexts.
It means, approximately, “and everything else that is associated with that”. It is used at the end of a clause, and it is dismissive: it characterizes what that clause says or implies as unimportant or unimpressive. It is almost always followed immediately by a clause (usually headed by but) which expresses what the speaker regards as, in contrast, more important or impressive.
Note that and all modifies the entire preceding clause, not just the final element.
And everything, as you suggest, may be used in the same context, and so may et cetera and blah-blah-blah and yada-yada-yada; but and all is probably used more than all these others put together.