of all things

of all things

Of all the possibilities (this is the most surprising or unlikely). When he retired, he took up painting, of all things. He had never even picked up a paintbrush before that! After spending his childhood in and out of detention centers, he became, of all things, a cop.
See also: all, of, thing
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Of all things!

Can you imagine?; Imagine that! (Usually said about something very strange.) She wore jeans to the dance. Of all things! Billy, stop eating the houseplant! Of all things!
See also: all, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

of all things

From all the possibilities, as in I said I'd help in any way I can, and of all things they want me to handle publicity. This term, generally expressing surprise, was first recorded in 1925.
See also: all, of, thing
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

of ˈall people/places/things

used to emphasize that the person/place/thing is the most or least likely in the circumstances: You of all people should be sympathetic, having just had a similar accident yourself. If it’s a rest they need, then why go to New York of all places?
See also: all, of, people, place, thing
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • Of all things!
  • take something on trust
  • there are other (good) fish in the sea
  • there are other pebbles on the beach
  • there are plenty more fish in the sea
  • there are plenty more pebbles on the beach
  • there are plenty of (other) pebbles on the beach
  • ever since
  • no oil painting
  • be no oil painting
References in periodicals archive
The Qur'an holds that all things have a dominion and then goes on to assert that the dominion of all things is in the power and control of God, the Dominus.
In the prayer for the first day of Rajab, (10) God is described as the Limiter--the Setter of the limits of all things (ddu kulli madd), meaning that it is God who reveals and causes all things to descend in particular measures and limits and the decree of all things is in His command.
It is for this reason that the Qur'an, which holds God to be the Revealer and the source of descent of all things to nature, describes God as the Creator (al-khaliq) and Originator (al-fatir) of the heavens and the earth.
Imam 'Al also speaks of the continuous subsistence of all things by God.
Descent and manifestation
We say, "As you know, we're all just part of the great cycles of all things and because we're all part of the same Creation, we're all just part of one tremendous family.
Big time thank yous: a traditional prayer of Thanksgiving: New Life Journal interviews Tuscarora elder Ted Williams
There is one Creator of all things, for in God there is one Father from whom all things have their being.
Saint Hilary of Poitiers
Of all things, Bynum discovers that discussion of hybrids occupied pride of place in the thought of St.
Metamorphosis and Identity. (Reviews)
Each person is not the measure of all things when it comes to the preexisting natural world out of which we evolved.
We are the measure of all things. We can do what we want here -- not because some god has given us dominion over things but simply because we are stronger and the noetic sphere is ours.
You got it right: humans are the measure of all things human.
Protagoras visits the Darwinian planet
Confronted with the fate of a man on death row, the staff of All Things Considered could think only of their own discomfort, their own problems caused by the controversy, their own political and professional security.
All things censored