[all the way] or [the whole way]{adv. phr.} 1. From start to finish during the whole distance or time. •/Jack climbed all the way to the top of the tree./ •/Joe has played the whole way in the football game and it’s almost over./ 2. In complete agreement; with complete willingness to satisfy. — Often used in the phrase "go all the way with". •/I go all the way with what George says about Bill./ •/Mary said she was willing to kiss Bill, but that did not mean she was willing to go all the way with him./ •/The bank was willing to lend Mr. Jones money to enlarge his factory but it wasn 't willing to go all the way with his plans to build another in the next town./ Compare: ALL OUT, GO THE WHOLE HOG.
[all the worse] See: ALL THE 2.
[all thumbs]{adj.}, {informal} Awkward, especially with your hands; clumsy. •/Harry tried to fix the chair but he was all thumbs./
[all told]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Counting or including everything. •/Including candy sale profits we have collected $300 all told./
[all to the good] See: TO THE GOOD.
[all up]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Near to certain death or defeat without any more chance or hope. •/With their ammunition gone the patrol knew that it was all up with them./
[all very well]{adj.} All right; very good and correct; very true. — Usually followed by a "but" clause. •/It’s all very well for you to complain but can you do any better?/ •/It’s all very well if Jane comes with us, but how will she get back home?/ Compare: WELL AND GOOD.
[all walks of life]{n. phr.} All socioeconomic groups; all professions and lines of work. •/A good teacher has to be able to communicate with students from all walks of life./ •/A clever politician doesn’t alienate people from any walk of life./
[all wet]{adj.}, {slang} Entirely confused or wrong; mistaken. •/When the Wright brothers said they could build a flying machine, people thought they were all wet./ •/If you think I like baseball, you’re all wet./ Compare: OFF ONE’S ROCKER.
[all wool and a yard wide]{adj. phr.} Of fine character; especially, very generous and kind-hearted. •/He’s a wonderful brother — all wool and a yard wide./
[all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy] Too much hard work without time out for play or enjoyment is not good for anyone. — A proverb. •/Bill’s mother told him to stop studying and to go out and play, because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy./
[all year round]{adv. phr.} Always; all the time; throughout all seasons of the year. •/In California the sun shines all year round./
[alone] See: LET ALONE or LEAVE ALONE, LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE or LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE.
[along] See: ALL ALONG or RIGHT ALONG, COME ALONG, GET ALONG, GO ALONG, RUN ALONG, STRING ALONG.
[along for the ride]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Being in a group for the fun or the credit without doing any of the work. •/He wants no members in his political party who are just along for the ride./
[along in years] or [on in years]{adj. phr.} Elderly; growing old. •/As Grandfather got on in years, he became quiet and thoughtful./ •/Our dog isn 't very playful because it is getting on in years./
[alongside of]{prep.} 1. At or along the side of. •/We walked alongside of the river./ 2. Together with. •/I played alongside of Tom on the same team./ Compare: SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, SIDE BY SIDE. 3. {informal} Compared with or to; measured next to. •/His money doesn’t look like much alongside of a millionaire’s./
[a lot]{n.}, {informal} A large number or amount; very many or very much; lots. •/I learned a lot in Mr. Smith’s class./ •/A lot of our friends are going to the beach this summer./ — Often used like an adverb. •/Ella is a jolly girl; she laughs a lot./ •/Grandfather was very sick last week, but he’s a lot better now./ •/You’ll have to study a lot harder if you want to pass./ — Also used as an adjective with "more", "less", and "fewer". •/There was a good crowd at the game today, but a lot more will come next week./ — Often used with "whole" for emphasis. •/John has a whole lot of marbles./ •/Jerry is a whole lot taller than he was a year ago./ Compare: GOOD DEAL, GOOD MANY, A NUMBER. Contrast: A FEW, A LITTLE.
[aloud] See: THINK ALOUD or THINK OUT LOUD.
[alpha wave]{n.} A brain wave, 8-12 cycles per second, associated with a state of relaxation and meditation and, hence, free of anxieties. •/Try to produce some alpha waves; you will instantly feel a lot better./
[alter] See: CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES.
[always] See: GRASS is ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.
[ambulance chaser]{n.} An attorney who specializes in representing victims of traffic accidents. By extension, a lawyer of inferior rank or talent. •/Don’t hire Cohen; he’s just another ambulance chaser./
[American plan]{n.} A system of hotel management in which meals are included with the room, as opposed to the European plan that does not include meals. •/American tourists in Europe sometimes expect that their meals will be included, because they are used to the American plan./
[amount to]{v.} Signify; add up to. •/John’s total income didn’t amount to more than a few hundred dollars./
[a must]{n.} 1. An inevitability; a necessity. •/Visas in many foreign countries are a must./ 2. An extremely interesting or memorable event, such as a free concert given by an international celebrity. •/Alfred Brendel’s Beethoven master classes are open to the public and are not to be missed; they’re a must./
[anchor] See: AT ANCHOR.
[--- and ---] 1. — And is used between repeated words to show continuation or emphasis. •/When the children saw the beautiful Christmas tree they looked and looked./ •/Old Mr, Bryan has known Grandfather for years and years, since they were boys./ •/Billy dived to the bottom of the lake again and again, looking for the lost watch./ •/Everyone wished the speaker would stop, but he talked on and on./ Compare: THROUGH AND THROUGH. 2. — When "and" is used between words with opposite meaning, it often emphasizes how much you mean. •/Mr. Jones worked early and late to earn enough to live./ •/The parents hunted high and low for the lost child./ Compare: DAY AND NIGHT, FROM — TO, INSIDE AND OUT.
[and all]{informal} And whatever goes with it; and all that means. •/We don’t go out much nowadays, with the new baby and all./ •/Jack’s employer provided the tools and all./
[and how!]{interj.}, {informal} Yes, that is certainly right! — Used for emphatic agreement. •/"Did you see the game?" "And how!"/ •/"Isn’t Mary pretty?" "And how she is!"/ Syn.: YOU BET, YOU SAID IT. Compare: BUT GOOD.
[and so forth] or [and so on] And more of the same kind; and further amounts or things like the ones already mentioned. •/The costumes were red, pink, blue, purple, yellow, and so forth./ Compare: WHAT HAVE YOU.