Let’s break down the meaning of the phrase, “in every sense of the word.”
In this expression, the word, sense, refers to meaning. As you already know, many words have multiple meanings. Well, this phrase is basically saying that a given word that is used to describe someone or something is applicable in more than one sense (meaning) of that word. For example:
Shaquille O’Neal is a big guy—in every sense of the word.
In this sentence, the word that is true in every sense is big; O’Neal is both big-important (famous, hall-of-famer) and big-stature. If Charles Barkley were uttering this phrase, he would likely be referring to an additional meaning, big-fat. As this example suggests, the expression every sense of the word is often used to make jokes, and to point to things that are rude to say openly.
The expression can also be used positively:
Lindsey is beautiful, in every sense of the word.
This means she is not only physically beautiful, but also has a beautiful soul or mind.
Finally, the expression can be used even when the multiple meanings are similar; in this case, it simply emphasizes the word:
Michael is a hero in every sense of the word.
This means “he shows all the qualities of a hero.”