the whole bang shoot

English

Alternative forms

• the whole bang lot, the bang shoot

Etymology

Uncertain. Apparently late nineteenth or early 20th century. Unsupported contradictory suggestions suggest derivation from shebang or vice versa. However, "shebang" may be older.

Noun

the whole bang shoot (uncountable)

1. The whole lot, everything involved, every one, the entire process.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:everything

   • 1913, Margaret Peterson, The Lure Of The Little Drum, page 92:

     “My good fellow,” grumbled Dr. Brown, he turned at the top of the bungalow steps to deliver this ultimatum, “he hates the whole bang lot of us." ...
     page 234 ... “I noticed that he hated you.” Brown admitted, “but that is nothing new. He hates, as I have remarked before, the whole bang shoot of us.”

   • 1921, Harry Mortimer Batten, Many Trails, page 163:

     Anyway," he added, with the touch of the true optimist, "it's lucky I watched her, or she'd have carried off the whole bang shoot in less than thirty minutes."

   • 1942, John Vernon Hewes, The High Courts of Heaven: A Story of the R.A.F., page 132:

     "...he said something about Hughes not caring a rush for any man's life, least of all his own! Said Hughes was sublimely indifferent to the whole bang shoot. I am beginning to understand what he meant."