for all the world

for all the world idiom
  1. In all respects, precisely, as in She looked for all the world like Greta Garbo. [Late 1300s]
  2. Also, not for the world. Not for anything, not at any price. For example, I wouldn't give up chocolate for all the world, or Not for the world would I reveal your secret. This hyperbolic expression is generally part of a negative statement. [First half of 1800s] For a synonym, see not for love or money.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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