the mother of somethinga) COME FROM/ORIGINATEthe origin or cause of something …之母，…的根由[根源] Westminster is known as ‘the mother of parliaments’. 威斯敏斯特以“议会之母”闻名。
Necessity is the mother of invention (=people have good ideas when the situation makes it necessary). 需求是发明之母。
b) informalBAD a very severe or extreme type of something, usually something bad 很严重[极端]的某事 I woke up with the mother of all hangovers. 我醒来时宿醉反应很严重。
the mother of something• the mother of all battles• Necessity is the mother of invention.• I woke up with the mother of all hangovers.
→ the mother of something at mother1(4)