root and branch

Meanings

Adjective

• Total, thorough, sweeping, complete, radical, drastic.

Adverb

• Totally, completely.

Origin

• From the Bible, Malachi 4:1 - "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Used as a title for the Root and Branch Petition presented to the Long Parliament on December 11, 1640.