Does "Come one, come all" mean "Come, everybody"?
Thanks.
The answer is: Yes.
“Come one, come all” has the same meaning as “come, everybody”.
Come one, come all has the same meaning in English as come everybody, but is not commonly spoken in modern English. In fact, it’s in the lowest 10% of English phrases still in use. This phrase is typically used to draw attention to an attraction or event. The one and all parts of the phrase are used to invite or get the attention of one person all the way to all the people who can hear.
Come, everybody means that you want everyone who can hear the message to join whatever event or place you are inviting them to.
Definition of Come one, come all
Come is a verb and means to go to a specific location or other place.
- Come to my house this weekend for a barbeque.
- Come check out the company’s new website.
One is a number, and all implies everyone.
- I want all of you to come to my house this weekend for a barbeque.
Using the phrases in sentences:
Example 1: “Come one, come all to see the world’s biggest horse!” said the carnival barker.
Example 2: My birthday is this weekend so please come, everybody.
"Come one come all" is a old English idiom which was a guarantee. It would be included in a posting for some event, maybe a play at some location. 300 years ago travel was a real effort and this was a guarantee that if you were the only one to came to the event it would go on and your travel effort would not be wasted by a cancellation of the event. Come one come all, the play will go on.