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the be-all and end-all

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the be-all and end-all

the best or most important thing Professional tennis was never the be-all and end-all for me.

See also: and

the be-all and end-all

the most important thing

Usage notes: This phrase comes from the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

(often + of ) It would be wrong to see Manhattan as the be-all and end-all of the financial world. We all agreed that winning was not the be-all and end-all.

See also: and