- root and branch
- formal
if something is changed or removed root and branch, it is changed or removed completely because it is bad.
Racism must be eliminated, root and branch.
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
root and branch
Look at other dictionaries:
Root and branch — Root Root, n. [Icel. r[=o]t (for vr[=o]t); akin to E. wort, and perhaps to root to turn up the earth. See {Wort}.] 1. (Bot.) (a) The underground portion of a plant, whether a true root or a tuber, a bulb or rootstock, as in the potato, the onion … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Root and branch — Branch Branch, n.; pl. {Branches}. [OE. braunche, F. branche, fr. LL. branca claw of a bird or beast of prey; cf. Armor. brank branch, bough.] 1. (Bot.) A shoot or secondary stem growing from the main stem, or from a principal limb or bough of a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
root-and-branch — root and branchˈ adjective and adverb 1. Without leaving any part 2. Thorough(ly), complete(ly) • • • Main Entry: ↑root … Useful english dictionary
root and branch — ► root and branch (of a process or operation) thorough or radical. Main Entry: ↑root … English terms dictionary
root and branch — 1 the firm should be eradicated, root and branch: COMPLETELY, entirely, wholly, totally, thoroughly. 2 a root and branch reform: COMPLETE, total, thorough, radical. → … Useful english dictionary
Root and Branch — The Root and Branch Petition was a petition presented to the Long Parliament on December 11, 1640. The petition had been signed by 15,000 Londoners and was presented to the English Parliament by a crowd of 1,500. The petition called on Parliament … Wikipedia
root-and-branch — formal root and branch if something is changed or removed root and branch, it is changed or removed completely because it is bad. These proposals amount to a root and branch reform of the system. (always before noun) … New idioms dictionary
root and branch — If an action is performed thoroughly or completely, it is done root and branch . The causes of the disease must be eliminated root and branch … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
root and branch — 1) the company s accounting department should be eradicated, root and branch Syn: completely, entirely, wholly, totally, thoroughly 2) a root and branch reform Syn: complete, total, thorough, radical … Thesaurus of popular words
root and branch — involving all parts The Party wanted root and branch electoral reform … English dictionary
