all hands on deck

[ awl handz on dek ]

interjection

1. (used as an order to all members of a ship’s crew to report to the deck at once, as in an emergency):

   We were roused from our bunks by shouts of “All hands on deck!”

idiom

1. (used as a call for the immediate assistance of everyone present or available):

   We only have two days till the deadline, people, so—all hands on deck!

2. immediate and concerted effort, or a situation that calls for it:

   We can nip crime in the bud if we go at it with all hands on deck.

   If the server goes down, it’s going to be all hands on deck.

Word History and Origins

Origin of all hands on deck¹

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

For starters, from a purely practical, all-hands-on-deck position, I say if you can do the job, you should keep the job.

From The Daily Beast

This is a public health crisis that you might think would give us an all-hands-on-deck attitude.

From The Daily Beast

It will require an all-hands-on-deck effort combining hard work, political savvy, and even a dollop of good luck.

From The Daily Beast