all (ɔːl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) |
| |
| —determiner |
| 1. | a. the whole quantity or amount of; totality of; every one of a class: all the rice; all men are mortal |
| | b. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): all of it is nice; all are welcome |
| | c. (in combination with a noun used as a modifier): an all-ticket match; an all-amateur tournament; an all-night sitting |
| 2. | the greatest possible: in all earnestness |
| 3. | any whatever: to lose all hope of recovery; beyond all doubt |
| 4. | above all most of all; especially |
| 5. | after all See after |
| 6. | all along all the time |
| 7. | all but almost; nearly: all but dead |
| 8. | all of no less or smaller than: she's all of thirteen years |
| 9. | all over |
| | a. finished; at an end: the affair is all over between us |
| | b. over the whole area (of something); everywhere (in, on, etc): all over England |
| | c. Also (Irish): all out typically; representatively (in the phrase that's me (you, him, us, them,etc) all over) |
| | d. unduly effusive towards |
| | e. sport in a dominant position over |
| 10. | See all in |
| 11. | all in all |
| | a. everything considered: all in all, it was a great success |
| | b. the object of one's attention or interest: you are my all in all |
| 12. | informal (usually used with a negative) all that, that (intensifier): she's not all that intelligent |
| 13. | (
foll by a comparative adjective or adverb
) all the so much (more or less) than otherwise: we must work all the faster now |
| 14. | all too definitely but regrettably: it's all too true |
| 15. | and all |
| | a. informal (Brit) as well; too: and you can take that smile off your face and all |
| | b. (South African) a parenthetical filler phrase used at the end of a statement to make a sl ight pause in speaking |
| 16. | informal and all that |
| | a. and similar or associated things; et cetera: coffee, tea, and all that will be served in the garden |
| | b. used as a filler or to make what precedes more vague: in this sense, it often occurs with concessive force: she was sweet and pretty and all that, but I still didn't like her |
| | c. See that |
| 17. | as all that as one might expect or hope: she's not as pretty as all that, but she has personality |
| 18. | at all |
| | a. (used with a negative or in a question) in any way whatsoever or to any extent or degree: I didn't know that at all |
| | b. even so; anyway: I'm surprised you came at all |
| 19. | informal be all for to be strongly in favour of |
| 20. | informal chiefly (US) be all that to be exceptionally good, talented, or attractive |
| 21. | for all |
| | a. in so far as; to the extent that: for all anyone knows, he was a baron |
| | b. notwithstanding: for all my pushing, I still couldn't move it |
| 22. | for all that in spite of that: he was a nice man for all that |
| 23. | in all altogether: there were five of them in all |
| |
| —adv |
| 24. | (in scores of games) apiece; each: the score at half time was three all |
| 25. | completely: all alone |
| 26. | informal be all … used for emphasis when introducing direct speech or nonverbal communication: he was all, 'I'm not doing that' |
| |
| —n (preceded by my, your, his, etc) |
| 27. | (one's) complete effort or interest: to give your all; you are my all |
| 28. | totality or whole |
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| Related: pan-, panto- |
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| [Old English eall; related to Old High German al, Old Norse allr, Gothic alls all] |