Word.ws English Dictionary

what does it all mean, Basil

what does it all mean, Basil phrase: used (often sarcastically) to express confusion in relation to a seemingly absurd or complicated situation; often followed by an explanation.

Phrase

what does it all mean, Basil?

  1. (Internet) Used (often sarcastically) to express confusion in relation to a seemingly absurd or complicated situation; often followed by an explanation.
    • Though Michael [Swift]’s wife is excited about him joining Marilyn, Michael himself is a lot less certain. Just like Julia [Houston]! But what does it all mean, Basil?2012 February 21, Hillary Busis, “Smash recap: Enter Mr. DiMaggio”, in Entertainment Weekly
    • Per [Adam] Schefter, the Patriots traded a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for troubled-but-talented wide receiver Josh Gordon, with the caveat that New England will get back a late-round pick from Browns if Gordon isn't active for 10 of the team's 14 remaining regular-season...2018 September 18, Brad Gagnon, “Winners, Losers and Takeaways from Patriots-Browns Trade Involving Josh Gordon”, in Bleacher Report

Origin of what does it all mean, Basil

Referencing a scene from the American spy comedy film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), in which British spy Austin Powers (Mike Myers) asks his controller, Basil Exposition (Michael York), for clarification about the meaning of a clue as to the location of Dr. Evil's lair.

Questions about what does it all mean, Basil

What does what does it all mean, Basil mean?
What does it all mean, Basil means used (often sarcastically) to express confusion in relation to a seemingly absurd or complicated situation; often followed by an explanation.
What part of speech is what does it all mean, Basil?
What does it all mean, Basil is a phrase.

Words near what does it all mean, Basil in the dictionary

  1. what do you want
  2. what do you want, a biscuit
  3. what do you want, a cookie
  4. what do you want, a medal
  5. what do you want: blood?
  6. what does it all mean, Basil
  7. what does it matter
  8. what does that have to do with the price of corn
  9. what does that have to do with the price of fish
  10. what does that have to do with the price of tea in China
  11. what does … mean

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: what does it all mean, Basil (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-what does it all mean, Basil.wav.

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