[all in all(1)]{n. phr.}, {literary} The person or thing that you love most. •/She was all in all to him./ •/Music was his all in all./
[all in all(2)] or [in all]{adv. phr.} When everything is thought about; in summary; altogether. •/All in all, it was a pleasant day’s cruise./ •/All in all, the pilot of an airplane must have many abilities and years of experience before he can he appointed./ Compare: ON THE WHOLE 1. •/Counting the balls on the green, we have six golf balls in all./
[all in good time]{adv. phr.} Some time soon, when the time is ripe for an event to take place. •/"I want to get married, Dad," Mike said. "All in good time, Son," answered his father./
[all in one piece]{adv. phr.} Safely; without damage or harm. •/John’s father was terribly concerned when his son was sent to war as a pilot, but he came home all in one piece./
[all kinds of]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Plenty of. •/People say that Mr. Fox has all kinds of money./ •/When Kathy was sick, she had all kinds of company./ Compare: GREAT DEAL.
[all manner of]{adj. phr.}, {formal} Many different kinds of; all sorts of. •/In a five-and-ten-cent store you can buy all manner of things./
[all of]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. At least the amount or number of; fully; no less than. •/It was all of ten o’clock before they finally started./ •/She must have paid all of $50 for that hat./ 2. Showing all the signs of; completely in. — Used with "a". •/The girls were all of a twitter before the dance./ •/Mother is all of a flutter because of the thunder and lightning./ •/The dog was all of a tremble with cold./
[all of a sudden] See: ALL AT ONCE 2.
[all out]{adv. phr.}, {informal} With all your strength, power, or determination; to the best of your ability; without holding back. — Usually used in the phrase "go all out". •/We went all out to win the game./ •/John went all out to finish the job and was very tired afterwards./ Compare: ALL THE WAY 2, FULL TILT, GO THE WHOLE HOG, GO TO ANY LENGTH, LEAVE A STONE UNTURNED, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.
[all-out effort]{n.} A great and thorough effort at solving a given problem. •/The President is making an all-out effort to convince Congress to pass the pending bill on health care./
[all-out war]{n.} Total war including civilian casualties as opposed to a war that is limited only to armies. •/Hitler was waging an all-out war when he invaded Poland./
[all over]{adv. phr.} 1. In every part; everywhere. •/He has a fever and aches all over./ •/I have looked all over for my glasses./ Compare: FAR AND WIDE. 2. {informal} In every way; completely. •/She is her mother all over./ 3. {informal} Coming into very close physical contact, as during a violent fight; wrestling. •/Before I noticed what happened, he was all over me./
[all over but the shouting]{adv. phr.}{informal} Finally decided or won; brought to an end; not able to be changed. •/After Bill’s touchdown, the game was all over but the shouting./ •/John and Tom both tried to win Jane, but after John’s promotion it was all over but the shouting./
[all over someone] See: FALL ALL OVER SOMEONE.
[allowance] See: MAKE ALLOWANCE.
[allow for]{v.} To provide for; leave room for; give a chance to; permit. •/She cut the skirt four inches longer to allow for a wide hem./ •/Democracy allows for many differences of opinion./
[all right(1)]{adv. phr.} 1. Well enough. •/The new machine is running all right./ 2. {informal} I am willing; yes. •/"Shall we watch television?" "All right."/ Compare: VERY WELL. 3. {informal} Beyond question, certainly. — Used for emphasis and placed after the word it modifies. •/It’s time to leave, all right, but the bus hasn’t come./
[all right(2)]{adj. phr.} 1. Good enough; correct; suitable. •/His work is always all right./ 2. In good health or spirits; well. •/"How are you?" "I’m all right."/ 3. {slang} Good. •/He’s an all right guy./
[all right for you]{interj.} I’m finished with you! That ends it between you and me! — Used by children. •/All right for you! I’m not playing with you any more!/
[all roads lead to Rome]{literary} The same end or goal may be reached by many different ways. — A proverb. •/"I don’t care how you get the answer," said the teacher, "All roads lead to Rome."/
[all set]{adj. phr.} Ready to start. •/"Is the plane ready for take-off?" the bank president asked. "Yes, Sir," the pilot answered. "We’re all set."/
[all shook up] also [shook up]{adj.}, {slang} In a state of great emotional upheaval; disturbed; agitated. •/What are you so shook up about?/
[all systems go]{Originally from space English, now general colloquial usage.} Everything is complete and ready for action; it is now all right to proceed. •/After they wrote out the invitations, it was all systems go for the wedding./
[all the(1)]{adj. phr.}, {dialect} The only. •/A hut was all the home he ever had./
[all the(2)]{adv. phr.} Than otherwise; even. — Used to emphasize comparative adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. •/Opening the windows made it all the hotter./ •/Take a bus instead of walking and get home all the sooner./ •/If you don’t eat your dessert, all the more for us./
[all the better] See: ALL THE(2).
[all the ---er]{substandard} The ---est; as … as. — Used with a comparative adjective or adverb and subordinate clause in place of a superlative adjective or adverb. •/That was all the bigger he grew./ •/Is that all the faster you can go?/
[all there] or [all here]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Understanding well; thinking clearly; not crazy. — Usually used in negative sentences, •/Joe acted queerly and talked wildly, so we thought he was not all there./
[all the same(1)] or [all one]{n. phr.} Something that makes no difference; a choice that you don’t care about. •/If it’s all the same to you, I would like to be waited on first./ •/You can get there by car or by bus — it’s all one./
[all the same(2)] or [just the same]{adv. phr.}, {informal} As if the opposite were so; nevertheless; anyway; anyhow; still. •/Everyone opposed it, but Sally and Bob got married all the same./ •/Mary is deaf, but she takes tap dancing lessons just the same./ Compare: AT THAT 3, IN SPITE OF.
[all the thing] or [all the rage], [the in thing]{n. phr.} The fashionable or popular thing to do, the fashionable or most popular artist or form of art at a given time. •/After "The Graduate" Dustin Hoffman was all the rage in the movies./ •/It was all the thing in the late sixties to smoke pot and demonstrate against the war in Vietnam./
[all the time]{adv. phr.} 1. or [all the while] During the whole period; through the whole time. •/Mary went to college in her home town and lived at home all the while./ •/Most of us were surprised to hear that Mary and Tom had been engaged all year, but Sue said she knew it all the time./ 2. Without stopping; continuously •/Most traffic lights work all the time./ 3. Very often; many times. •/Ruth talks about her trip to Europe all the time, and her friends are tired of it./