# to all intents and purposes

> English word · Prep_phrase

## Definitions
1. For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect; practically speaking.

## Etymology
1500s, English law, originally “to all intents, constructions, and purposes” (found in an act adopted under Henry VIII in 1547).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/to-all-intents-and-purposes