for all intents and purposes

English

Alternative forms

• to all intents and purposes (UK)
• sometimes misconstructed as "for all intensive purposes" or "for all intrinsic purposes".

Etymology

1500s, English law, originally “to all intents, constructions, and purposes” (found in an act adopted under Henry VIII in 1547).

Prepositional phrase

for all intents and purposes

1. For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect

   Synonyms: practically, for all practical purposes, in practice

   For all intents and purposes the case is closed.

   This treaty, for all intents and purposes, is no longer viable.

Synonyms

• effectively, essentially, in essence, in effect, practically, virtually

Translations

for every functional purpose

• Finnish: käytännössä (fi)
• German: im Grunde (genommen), grundsätzlich (de)
• Hebrew: לכל דבר, לכל דבר ועניין (lekhól davár ve'inyán)
• Latin: effectū
• Polish: na dobrą sprawę (pl)
• Portuguese: para todos os efeitos
• Spanish: a todos los efectos