This idiom describes a situation where individuals prioritize their own interests or survival over collective welfare, often in chaotic or competitive circumstances. It suggests a breakdown of cooperation, with each person fending for themselves, like in a crisis or cutthroat environment. The phrase is used in social, economic, or emergency contexts, often with a cynical or urgent tone, reflecting the harsh reality of self-preservation and the erosion of solidarity in desperate times.

The phrase has roots in maritime disasters, where sailors might abandon ship with the cry ‘Every man for himself!’ It appeared in English by the 14th century, with Geoffrey Chaucer’s *The Knight’s Tale* (1387) using a similar phrase: ‘Everich of hem for himself.’ The modern form was common by the 16th century, as seen in maritime records and William Shakespeare’s *The Tempest* (1611). Its use grew in the 19th century, particularly during economic upheavals, as seen in Charles Dickens’ *Hard Times* (1854). The phrase’s association with survivalist instincts ensured its spread in American English, especially in frontier and capitalist contexts, resonating in literature and film.