all to pieces
Completely, badly, or falling apart.
Also called go all to pieces.
Updated September 21, 2026
all to pieces pronunciation
/awl tuh PEE-siz/
Meaning
Two close senses share the same words. As an intensifier, it means thoroughly: you can beat someone at checkers all to pieces. As a state of mind or body, it means you have come apart: nervous, wrecked, crying in the parking lot. Mountain glossaries often flag the anxiety reading. Everyday talk uses both.
How folks use it
- “She can beat him at cards all to pieces.”
- “After that phone call Mama went all to pieces.”
Origin and etymology
Older English slang used "all to pieces" for utter ruin or collapse, the same picture as something smashed. American dialect kept it as both a total-degree adverb and a way to say someone emotionally broke down. An East Alabama word list from 1908 glosses it as "completely, surpassingly." Southern mountain speech also ties it to acute anxiety.
Frequently asked questions
Does all to pieces always mean upset?
No. It can mean "completely" when you are talking about winning, losing, or wrecking something. The upset sense usually needs a verb like "go" or "fall."