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to the backbone

prepositional phrase

Through and through; thoroughly; entirely.

Similar

to the bone to the core all the way from soup to nuts in excelsis to the brim to the fullest to the full

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Meanings

prepositional phrase

idiomaticThrough and through; thoroughly; entirely.
staunch to the backbone
1834, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Last Days of Pompeii
2 more examples
Sir Culling was an extreme Low Churchman, an Exeter Hallite to the backbone, and the head and front of the Platitudinarian Party.
1894, Richard William Murray, South African Reminiscences, page 138
In temperament he was Dutch to the backbone — at least as we imagine Dutch.
1907, Alfred Thayer Mahan, From Sail to Steam: Reflections of Naval Life
Synonyms: to the bone, to the core, all the way, from soup to nuts, in excelsis, to the bone, to the brim, to the core

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseThrough and through; thoroughly; entirely.

Similar

to the bone to the core all the way from soup to nuts in excelsis to the bone to the brim to the core to the fullest to the full to the gills to the gunnels to the hilt to the marrow to the max to the nines to the nth degree to the tonsils to the top of one's bent

Also see

to the bone to the brim to the core to the full to the gills to the gunnels to the hilt to the max to the nines to the nth degree to the tonsils to the top of one's bent up to eleven

Cite this entry

APA

to the backbone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/to%20the%20backbone

MLA

“to the backbone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/to%20the%20backbone. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “to the backbone,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/to%20the%20backbone.

Source: to the backbone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.