above all

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bove /əˈbʌv/   adv. 

1. in, at, or to a higher place, position, or rank:
   saw the rain clouds above.
2. higher in quantity or number;
   over:
   persons age 18 and above.
3. mentioned or described before or earlier, esp. in a book or other piece of writing:
   the remark quoted above.
4. higher than zero on the Fahrenheit scale:
   In winter it's often only five above (= five degrees above zero).

prep. 

5. in or to a higher place than;
   over:
   to fly above the clouds.
6. more in quantity or number than;
   in excess of;
   over:
   persons above 18 years of age.
7. superior in rank, authority, or standing to:
   A major is above a captain.
8. not subject to:
   above suspicion.
9. of too fine a character for:
   She's above such trickery.
10. beyond, esp. north of:
    six miles above Baltimore.

adj. 

11. said, mentioned, or written above:
    the above explanation.

n. [uncountable]

12. things discussed or written about earlier:
    [the + ~] All the above just proves what I've been saying.
13. heaven:
    a gift from above.
14. a higher authority:
    an order from above.

Idioms

15. Idioms above all, most importantly;
    principally.

Usage

Both above and over can mean "higher than''. In expressions with numbers, esp. in measurements, it is more common to use over to mean "more than'': Over 600 students are enrolled here. But for numbers that are thought of as on a vertical scale of measurement, such as the temperature on a thermometer, above is used: Her temperature was almost three degrees above normal. Her SAT scores were well above average.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

all /ɔl/   adj. [usually before a noun* but see definition 1]

1. the whole or full amount of or number of: [~ + the + uncountable noun]
   She ate all the cake.
   [~ + some nouns of time] I waited for her call all afternoon.
   [~ (+ the) + plural noun]
   all (the) students.
   [after the subject of a sentence]
   The girls all enjoy camping.
   [after a pronoun objectect of a sentence]
   I've seen them all.
2. the greatest possible:
   with all speed.
3. any;
   any whatever:
   beyond all doubt.
4. entirely;
   purely:
   The coat is all wool.
5. dominated by a particular feature:
   I'm all thumbs (= very clumsy) when it comes to auto repairs.

pron. 

6. the whole quantity, number, or entire amount:
   Did you eat all of the peanuts?

n. 

7. [uncountable] one's whole interest, energy, or property:
   Give it your all.
8. [uncountable] the entire area, place, environment, or the like:
   All is calm, all is bright.
9. every one;
   everybody (a formal use):
   [plural* used with a plural verb] All rise, the court is in session.
10. everything:
    [uncountable] Is that all you've got to say?

adv. 

11. wholly;
    entirely;
    completely:
    all alone.
12. each;
    apiece:
    The score was tied at one all.

Idioms

13. Idioms all but, [be + ~] almost;
    very nearly:
    These batteries are all but dead.
14. Idioms all in all, everything considered;
    in general:
    All in all, we're better off now than we were ten years ago.
15. Idioms all out, with one's best effort:
    The team went all out to win the game.
16. Idioms all the better, so much the better:
    If my opponent loses, all the better for me.
17. Idioms, Informal Terms all there, [usually with a negative word or phrase, or in questions] mentally competent:
    She doesn't seem all there.
18. Idioms all told, all together;
    all included:
    All told, some sixty-five people came to the party.
19. Idioms and all, and so forth:
    What with the late hour and all, we must leave.
20. Idioms at all, (used to give emphasis to a word or phrase, esp. a word or phrase with "any'' in it):
    • in the slightest degree or amount:
      Aren't there any doughnuts left at all?
    • for any reason: Why bother at all?
    • in any way: didn't cause me any trouble at all.
    • (used in other phrases for emphasis):
      Look, I'll take a job anywhere at all.
21. Idioms for all (that), in spite of (that);
    notwithstanding:
    It was a difficult time living abroad, but for all that, it was a good year.
22. Idioms in all, all included;
    all together:
    There were forty in all.
23. Idioms of all, (used to give emphasis after a word like "first'', "last'', "best''):
    First of all, welcome to our college.

all-, 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bove  (ə buv′), adv. 

1. in, at, or to a higher place.
2. overhead, upstairs, or in the sky:
   My brother lives in the apartment above. A flock of birds circled above.
3. higher in rank, authority, or power:
   She was told to speak to the person above.
4. higher in quantity or number:
   books with 100 pages and above.
5. before or earlier, esp. in a book or other piece of writing;
   foregoing:
   the remark quoted above.
   Cf. below (def. 6).
6. in or to heaven:
   gone to her eternal rest above.
7. Zoology on the upper or dorsal side.
8. Show Business [Theat.] upstage. Cf. below (def. 9).
9. higher than zero on the temperature scale:
   The temperature dropped to ten above this morning.

prep. 

10. in or to a higher place than;
    over:
    to fly above the clouds; the floor above ours.
11. more in quantity or number than;
    in excess of:
    all girls above 12 years of age; The weight is above a ton.
12. superior in rank, authority, or standing to:
    A captain is above a lieutenant.
13. not subject or liable to;
    not capable of (some undesirable action, thought, etc.):
    above suspicion; to be above bad behavior.
14. of too fine a character for:
    He is above such trickery.
15. rather than;
    in preference to:
    to favor one child above the other.
16. beyond, esp. north of:
    six miles above Baltimore.
17. Show Business [Theat.] upstage of.
18. above all, most important of all;
    principally:
    charity above all.

adj. 

19. said, mentioned, or written above;
    foregoing:
    the above explanation.

n. 

20. something that was said, mentioned, or written above:
    to refer to the above.
21. the person or persons previously indicated:
    The above will all stand trial.
22. heaven:
    truly a gift from above.
23. a higher authority:
    an order from above.

• bef. 900; Middle English above(n) (Cf. aboon), Old English abufan, onbufan (a-¹, on + bufan above (cognate with Dutch boven), equivalent. to b(e) by + ufan, cognate with Old Frisian uva, Old Saxon oban(a), Old High German obana, German oben, Old Norse ofan above; akin to over); see up; compare about for formation

Usage

Above as an adjective (the above data) or as a noun (study the above) referring to what has been mentioned earlier in a piece of writing has long been standard. A few critics object to these uses in general writing, believing that they are more appropriate in business or technical contexts; they occur, however, in all kinds of edited writing.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

all  (ôl), adj. 

1. the whole of (used in referring to quantity, extent, or duration):
   all the cake;
   all the way;
   all year.
2. the whole number of (used in referring to individuals or particulars, taken collectively):
   all students.
3. the greatest possible (used in referring to quality or degree):
   with all due respect; with all speed.
4. every:
   all kinds; all sorts.
5. any;
   any whatever:
   beyond all doubt.
6. nothing but;
   only:
   The coat is all wool.
7. dominated by or as if by the conspicuous possession or use of a particular feature:
   The colt was all legs. They were all ears, listening attentively to everything she said.
8. Dialect Terms [Chiefly Pennsylvania German.] all gone;
   consumed;
   finished:
   The pie is all.

pron. 

9. the whole quantity or amount:
   He ate all of the peanuts. All are gone.
10. the whole number;
    every one:
    all of us.
11. everything:
    Is that all you want to say? All is lost.

n. 

12. one's whole interest, energy, or property:
    to give one's all; to lose one's all.
13. (often cap.) the entire universe.
14. above all, before everything else;
    chiefly:
    Above all, the little girl wanted a piano.
15. after all, in spite of the circumstances;
    notwithstanding:
    He came in time after all.
16. all in all:
    • everything considered;
      in general:
      All in all, her health is greatly improved.
    • altogether:
      There were twelve absentees all in all.
    • everything;
      everything regarded as important:
      Painting became his all in all.
17. Printing, Journalism all in hand, (of the copy for typesetting a particular article, book, issue, etc.) in the possession of the compositor.
18. and all, together with every other associated or connected attribute, object, or circumstance:
    What with the snow and all, we may be a little late.
19. at all:
    • in the slightest degree:
      I wasn't surprised at all.
    • for any reason:
      Why bother at all?
    • in any way:
      no offense at all.
20. for all (that), in spite of;
    notwithstanding:
    For all that, it was a good year.
21. in all, all included;
    all together:
    a hundred guests in all.
22. once and for all, for the last time;
    finally:
    The case was settled once and for all when the appeal was denied.

adv. 

23. wholly;
    entirely;
    completely:
    all alone.
24. only;
    exclusively:
    He spent his income all on pleasure.
25. each;
    apiece:
    The score was one all.
26. [Archaic.] even;
    just.
27. all at once. See once (def. 14).
28. all but, almost;
    very nearly:
    These batteries are all but dead.
29. Dialect Terms all in, Northern and Western U.S. very tired;
    exhausted:
    We were all in at the end of the day.
30. Nautical all in the wind, too close to the wind.
31. all out, with all available means or effort:
    We went all out to win the war.
32. all over:
    • finished;
      done;
      ended.
    • everywhere;
      in every part.
    • in every respect;
      typically.
33. all standing, [Naut.]
    • Naval Terms in such a way and so suddenly that sails or engines are still set to propel a vessel forward:
      The ship ran aground all standing.
    • Naval Terms fully clothed:
      The crew turned in all standing.
    • Naval Terms fully equipped, as a vessel.
34. all that, remarkably;
    entirely;
    decidedly (used in negative constructions):
    It's not all that different from your other house.
35. all the better, more advantageous;
    so much the better:
    If the sun shines it will be all the better for our trip.
36. all there, [Informal.] mentally competent;
    not insane or feeble-minded:
    Some of his farfetched ideas made us suspect that he wasn't all there.
37. all the same. See same (def. 8).
38. all told. See told (def. 2).
39. all up:
    • Journalism [Print., Journ.] (of copy) completely set in type.
    • [Informal.] with no vestige of hope remaining:
      It's all up with George
      —they've caught him.

• *ol-io-; compare almighty
• *ol-no-, equivalent. to Welsh oll and akin to Old Irish uile
• bef. 900; Middle English al, plural alle; Old English eal(l); cognate with Gothic alls, Old Norse allr, Old Frisian, Dutch, Middle Low German al, Old Saxon, Old High German al(l) (German all); if

Synonyms

• 2. every one of, each of.
• 23. totally, utterly, fully.

Usage

Expressions like all the farther and all the higher occur chiefly in informal speech:
This is all the farther the bus goes.
That's all the higher she can jump.
Elsewhere as far as and as high as are generally used:
This is as far as the bus goes.
That's as high as she can jump.
Although some object to the inclusion of of in such phrases as all of the students and all of the contracts and prefer to omit it, the construction is entirely standard.
See also already, alright, altogether.

all-, 

1. var. of allo- before a vowel:
   allonym.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

above / əˈbʌv/ preposition

1. on top of or higher than; over
2. greater than in quantity or degree: above average in weight
3. superior to or prior to: to place honour above wealth
4. too honourable or high-minded for: above petty gossiping
5. too respected for; beyond: above suspicion, above reproach
6. too difficult to be understood by: the talk was above me
7. louder or higher than (other noise)
8. in preference to: I love you above all others
9. north of
10. upstream from
11. above all ⇒ most of all; especially
12. above and beyond ⇒ in addition to

adverb

1. in or to a higher place: the sky above
2. in a previous place (in something written)
3. (in combination): the above-mentioned clause
4. higher in rank or position
5. in or concerned with heaven

noun

1. the above ⇒ something that is above or previously mentioned

adjective

1. mentioned or appearing in a previous place (in something written)

Etymology: Old English abufan, from a- on + bufan above