Running the gamut

Posted by Bruce Kahl on November 01, 2003

In Reply to: Running the gamut posted by meagan on November 01, 2003

: what does running the gamut mean?

It means the entirety--a sense of completeness.
Someone will use that phrase to describe a state of wholeness as in "The people who frequent the Phrasefinder forum run a geographic gamut with people from almost all continents participating".
Gamut was used by the ancient inhabitants of Rome in a musical sense to desribe a series of notes. I think the original word was "gamus" or "gamuae". I am not 100% on that.

• Running the gamut Bob 02/November/03
  • Running the gamut - a little more James Briggs 02/November/03