all out
Slang Dictionary

out definition


  1. mod.
    alcohol or drug intoxicated. (Probably from far out.) : Those guys are really out!
  2. mod.
    out of fashion. (The opposite of in.) : That kind of clothing is strictly out.
  3. tv.
    to make someone's homosexuality public. (Can be reflexive.) : He outed himself at the party last Friday.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

all out

With all one's strength, ability, or resources; not holding back. For example, They are going all out to make the fund-raiser a success. This seemingly modern term dates from about 1300, when it meant "completely" or "wholly." It now refers to making a great effort and is also used adjectivally, as in an all-out effort. This usage became current in America in the late 1800s, with reference to races and other kinds of athletic exertion. In the mid-1900s it gave rise to the phrase to go all out and was transferred to just about any energetic undertaking. Also see go whole hog.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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