all/ɔl/USA pronunciationadj.[usually before a noun* but see definition 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.
the greatest possible: with all speed.
any; any whatever: beyond all doubt.
entirely; purely: The coat is all wool.
dominated by a particular feature:I'm all thumbs (= very clumsy) when it comes to auto repairs.
pron.
the whole quantity, number, or entire amount:Did you eat all of the peanuts?
n.
[uncountable] one's whole interest, energy, or property: Give it your all.
[uncountable] the entire area, place, environment, or the like: All is calm, all is bright.
every one; everybody (a formal use):[plural* used with a plural verb]All rise, the court is in session.
everything:[uncountable]Is that all you've got to say?
adv.
wholly; entirely; completely: all alone.
each; apiece:The score was tied at one all.
Idioms
Idiomsall but,[be + ~] almost; very nearly: These batteries are all but dead.
Idiomsall in all, everything considered; in general: All in all, we're better off now than we were ten years ago.
Idiomsall out, with one's best effort:The team went all out to win the game.
Idiomsall the better, so much the better:If my opponent loses, all the better for me.
Idioms, Informal Termsall there,[usually with a negative word or phrase, or in questions] mentally competent:She doesn't seem all there.
Idiomsall told, all together; all included:All told, some sixty-five people came to the party.
Idiomsand all, and so forth:What with the late hour and all, we must leave.
Idiomsat 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.
Idiomsfor all (that), in spite of (that); notwithstanding: It was a difficult time living abroad, but for all that, it was a good year.
Idiomsin all, all included; all together:There were forty in all.
Idiomsof all, (used to give emphasis after a word like "first'', "last'', "best''):First of all, welcome to our college.
the whole of (used in referring to quantity, extent, or duration):all the cake;all the way;all year.
the whole number of (used in referring to individuals or particulars, taken collectively):all students.
the greatest possible (used in referring to quality or degree):with all due respect; with all speed.
every:all kinds; all sorts.
any; any whatever:beyond all doubt.
nothing but; only:The coat is all wool.
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.
Dialect Terms[Chiefly Pennsylvania German.]all gone; consumed; finished:The pie is all.
pron.
the whole quantity or amount:He ate all of the peanuts. All are gone.
the whole number; every one:all of us.
everything:Is that all you want to say? All is lost.
n.
one's whole interest, energy, or property:to give one's all; to lose one's all.
(often cap.) the entire universe.
above all, before everything else; chiefly:Above all, the little girl wanted a piano.
after all, in spite of the circumstances; notwithstanding:He came in time after all.
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.
Printing, Journalismall in hand, (of the copy for typesetting a particular article, book, issue, etc.) in the possession of the compositor.
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.
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.
for all (that), in spite of; notwithstanding:For all that, it was a good year.
in all, all included; all together:a hundred guests in all.
once and for all, for the last time; finally:The case was settled once and for all when the appeal was denied.
adv.
wholly; entirely; completely:all alone.
only; exclusively:He spent his income all on pleasure.
each; apiece:The score was one all.
[Archaic.]even; just.
all at once. See once (def. 14).
all but, almost; very nearly:These batteries are all but dead.
Dialect Termsall in, Northern and Western U.S. very tired; exhausted:We were all in at the end of the day.
Nauticalall in the wind, too close to the wind.
all out, with all available means or effort:We went all out to win the war.
all over:
finished; done; ended.
everywhere; in every part.
in every respect; typically.
all standing, [Naut.]
Naval Termsin 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 Termsfully clothed:The crew turned in all standing.
Naval Termsfully equipped, as a vessel.
all that, remarkably; entirely; decidedly (used in negative constructions):It's not all that different from your other house.
all the better, more advantageous; so much the better:If the sun shines it will be all the better for our trip.
all there, [Informal.]mentally competent; not insane or feeble-minded:Some of his farfetched ideas made us suspect that he wasn't all there.
all the same. See same (def. 8).
all told. See told (def. 2).
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
2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged every one of, each of.
23.See corresponding entry in Unabridged totally, utterly, fully.
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.