Reader's question: It's all hands on deck. Could you explain “all hands on deck”?

The phrase “all hands on deck” is commonly used in pop culture as slang and can be found in movies, music and throughout everyday speech. People use it when it is necessary to get everyone to work together as a team to finish something. The idiom derives from ship crews who used it to get everyone together on the deck of a boat in a moment of urgency or during an emergency. This phrase is commonly used when something needs to be finished in a timely matter.

Examples: 1. Daniela was eating a giant ice cream sundae when she became too full and said to her friends at the table, “all hands on deck,” meaning everyone grab a spoon and dig in. 2. Captain Don saw a storm in the distance as his crew was fishing and yelled, “all hands on deck” to get everyone working hard to finish the job before the storm hit. 3. Isabella was doing most of the work on a group project at school when her teacher came over, snapped her fingers and asserted, “all hands on deck, kids” to get the group to work together as a team.

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About the author:

Chantal Anderson is a multimedia journalist at the China Daily Web site. Originally from Seattle, Washington she has found her way around the world doing photo essays in Greece, Mexico and Thailand. She is currently completing a double degree in Journalism and International Studies from the University of Washington.