All over the shop / show

Origin of: All over the shop / show

All over the shop / show

'All over the shop' is British informal for disorganised or chaotic, and dates from the mid-19th century. It means the same thing as 'all over the place', where 'shop' simply means 'place' rather than a retail outlet. 'All over the show' means the same thing, but dates from a little later, from the end of the 19th century, where 'show' also means 'place', but can also mean a place of business or workplace, as in various expressions like ‘running the show’ i.e. being in charge of a business or workplace. This usage also dates from the late 19th century.