all and sundry everyone; one and all.
(Folksy.) Cold drinks were served to all
and sundry. All and sundry came to the
village fair.
all around Robin Hood’s barn going
somewhere not by a direct route; going
way out of the way [to get somewhere];
by a long and circuitous route. We had
to go all around Robin Hood’s barn to get
to the little town. She walked all around
Robin Hood’s barn looking for a shop that
sold Finnish glassware.
all at once 1. suddenly. All at once the
chair broke, and Bob fell to the floor. All
at once she tripped on a stone. 2. all at the
same time. The entire group spoke all
at once. They were trying to cook din-
ner, clean house, and paint the closet all
at once.
(all) at sea (about something) confused; lost
and bewildered. Mary is all at sea about
getting married. When it comes to
higher math, John is totally at sea.
(all) balled up troubled; confused; in a
mess. (Slang.) Look at you! You’re really
all balled up! John is all balled up be-
cause his car was stolen. Of course this
typewriter won’t work. It’s all balled up.
all day long throughout the day; during
the entire day. We waited for you at the
station all day long. I can’t keep smil-
ing all day long.
all dressed up dressed in one’s best
clothes; dressed formally. We’re all
dressed up to go out to dinner. I really
hate to get all dressed up just to go some-
where to eat.
all for something very much in favor of
something. (For is usually emphasized.)
Bill is all for stopping off to get ice
cream. Mary suggested that they sell
their house. They weren’t all for it, but they
did it anyway.
(all) for the best good in spite of the way
it seems now; better than you think. (Of-
ten said when someone dies after a seri-
ous illness.) I’m very sorry to hear of the
death of your aunt. Perhaps it’s for the best.
I didn’t get into the college I wanted, but
I couldn’t afford it anyway. It’s probably all
for the best.
all gone used up; finished; over with.
Oh, the strawberry jelly is all gone. We
used to have wonderful parties, but those
days are all gone.
all in tired; exhausted; all tuckered out.
I just walked all the way from town. I’m
all in. “What a day!” said Sally. “I’m all
in.”
all in a day ’s work part of what is ex-
pected; typical or normal. (Also literal.)
I don’t particularly like to cook, but
it’s all in a day’s work. Putting up with
rude customers isn’t pleasant, but it’s all
in a day’s work. Cleaning up after other
people is all in a day’s work for a chamber-
maid.
all in good time at some future time; in
good time; soon. (This phrase is used to
encourage people to be patient and wait
quietly.) When will the baby be born?
All in good time. MARY: I’m starved!
When will Bill get here with the pizza?
TOM: All in good time, Mary, all in good
time.
(all) in one breath spoken rapidly, usu-
ally while one is very excited. (Also lit-
eral.) Ann said all in one breath,
“Hurry, quick! The parade is coming!”
Jane was in a play, and she was so excited
that she said her whole speech in one
breath. Tom can say the alphabet all in
one breath.
all in one piece safely; without damage.
(Informal.) Her son come home from
school all in one piece, even though he had
been in a fight. The package was han-
dled carelessly, but the vase inside arrived
all in one piece.
(all) in the family restricted to one’s own
family, as with private or embarrassing
information. (Especially with keep.)
Don’t tell anyone else. Please keep it all in
the family. He only told his brother be-
cause he wanted it to remain in the family.
(all) joking aside and (all) kidding aside
being serious for a moment; in all seri-
ousness. I know I laugh at him but, jok-
ing aside, he’s a very clever scientist. I
know I threatened to leave and go round
the world, but, joking aside, I need a
vacation.
(all) kidding aside Go to (all) joking aside.
all kinds of someone or something a great
number of people or things; a great
amount of something, especially money.
(Informal. Also literal, meaning “all
types.”) There were all kinds of people
there, probably thousands. The Smith
family has all kinds of money.
all manner of someone or something all types
of people or things. We saw all manner
of people there. They came from every
country in the world. They were selling
all manner of things in the country store.
all night long throughout the whole night.
I couldn’t sleep all night long.
was sick all night long.
all of a sudden suddenly. All of a sud-
den, lightning struck the tree we were sit-
ting under. I felt a sharp pain in my side
all of a sudden.
all or nothing 1. everything or nothing at
all. Sally would not accept only part of
the money. She wanted all or nothing.
I can’t bargain over trif les. I will have to
have all or nothing. 2. time to choose to
do something or not to do it. It was
all or nothing. Tim had to jump off the
truck or risk drowning when the truck
went into the water. Jane stood at the
door of the airplane and checked her para-
chute. It was all or nothing now. She had
to jump or be looked upon as a coward.
an all-out effort a very good and thorough
effort. (See also make an all-out effort.)
We need an all-out effort to get this job
done on time. The government began an
all-out effort to reduce the federal budget.
all-out war total war, as opposed to small,
warlike acts or threats of war. We are
now concerned about all-out war in the
Middle East. Threats of all-out war
caused many tourists to leave the country
immediately.
all over 1. finished; dead. (Compare this
with (all) over with.) Dinner is all over.
I’m sorry you didn’t get any. It’s all over.
He’s dead now. 2. everywhere. (See also
all over the earth.) Oh, I just itch all
over. She’s spreading the rumor all over.
(all) over again starting over completely
again; going through something com-
pletely yet another time. Do I have to
go through this all over again? Please
start over again for those who came in late.
all over but the shouting essentially de-
cided and concluded. (An elaboration of
all over, which means “finished.”) The
last goal was made just as the final whis-
tle sounded. Tom said, “Well, it’s all over
but the shouting.” Tom worked hard in
college and graduated last month. When
he got his diploma, he said, “It’s all over
but the shouting.”
all over the world Go to all over the earth.
all over town 1. everywhere in town.
Our dog got loose and ran all over town.
Jane looked all over town for a dress to
wear to the party. 2. known to everyone.
Now keep this a secret. I don’t want it
all over town. In a short time the secret
was known all over town.
(all) over with finished. (See also all over.)
His problems are all over with now.
After dinner is all over with, we can play
cards.
all right 1. well, good, or okay, but not ex-
cellent. (Informal. This phrase has all the
uses that okay has.) I was a little sick,
but now I’m all right. His work is all
right, but nothing to brag about. All
right, it’s time to go. 2. beyond a doubt;
as the evidence shows. The dog’s dead
all right. It hasn’t moved at all. The
train’s late all right. It hasn’t been late in
months. 3. hooray. (An exclamation of
joy or encouragement.) The Bears won!
All right! All right! That’s the way to do
it!
All right for you! That’s it for you!; That’s
the last chance for you! (Juvenile and in-
formal. Usually said by a child who is an-
gry with a playmate.) All right for you,
John. See if I ever play with you again.
All right for you! I’m telling your mother
what you did.
all right with someone agreeable to some-
one. If you want to ruin your life and
marry Tom, it’s all right with me. I’ll see
if it’s all right with my father.
(all) skin and bones Go to nothing but
skin and bones.
all sweetness and light very sweet, inno-
cent, and helpful. (Perhaps insincerely
so.) She was mad at first, but after a
while, she was all sweetness and light.
At the reception, the whole family was all
sweetness and light, but they argued and
fought after the guests left.
all systems (are) go everything is ready.
(Informal. Originally said when prepar-
ing to launch a rocket.) The rocket is
ready to blast off—all systems are go.
TOM: Are you guys ready to start play-
ing? BILL: Sure, Tom, all systems go.
all talk (and no action) talking about do-
ing something, but never actually doing
it. The car needs washing, but Bill is all
talk and no action on this matter. Bill
keeps saying he’ll get a job soon, but he’s
all talk and no action. Bill won’t do it.
He’s just all talk.
All that glitters is not gold. Many attrac-
tive and alluring things have no value.
(Proverb.) The used car looked fine but
didn’t run well at all. “Ah, yes,” thought
Bill, “all that glitters is not gold.” When
Mary was disappointed about losing Tom,
Jane reminded her, “All that glitters is not
gold.”
all the livelong day throughout the whole
day. (Folksy.) They kept at their work
all the livelong day. Bob just sat by the
creek fishing, all the livelong day.
all the rage in current fashion.
dance called the “f loppy disc” is all the
rage. Wearing a rope instead of a belt
is all the rage these days.
all the same (to someone) and just the
same (to someone) of no consequence to
someone; immaterial to someone. It’s
all the same to me whether we win or lose.
If it’s just the same to you, I’d rather
walk than ride. If it’s all the same, I’d
rather you didn’t smoke.
all the time 1. throughout a specific pe-
riod of time. Bill was stealing money for
the last two years, and Tom knew it all the
time. Throughout December and Janu-
ary, Jane had two jobs all the time. 2. at
all times; continuously. Your blood
keeps f lowing all the time. That electric
motor runs all the time. 3. repeatedly; ha-
bitually. She keeps a handkerchief in her
hand all the time. She hums softly all
the time.
all the way from the beginning to the end;
the entire distance, from start to finish.
(See also go all the way (with someone).)
The ladder reaches all the way to the top
of the house. I walked all the way home.
all thumbs awkward and clumsy, especially
with one’s hands. Poor Bob can’t play
the piano at all. He’s all thumbs. Mary
is all thumbs when it comes to gardening.
all to the good for the best; for one’s ben-
efit. He missed the train, but it was all
to the good because the train had a wreck.
It was all to the good that he died with-
out suffering.
(all) tuckered out tired out; worn out.
(Folksy.) Poor John worked so hard that
he’s all tuckered out. Look at that little
baby sleeping. She’s really tuckered out.
all walks of life all social, economic, and
ethnic groups. We saw people there
from all walks of life. The people who
came to the art exhibit represented all
walks of life.
(all) well and good good; desirable.
well and good that you’re here on time. I
was afraid you’d be late again. It’s all
well and good that you’re passing English,
but what about math and science?
all wet mistaken; wrongheaded; on the
wrong track. (Also literal.) It’s not that
way, John. You’re all wet. If you think
that prices will come down, you’re all wet.
all wool and a yard wide genuine; gen-
uinely warmhearted and friendly. (Infor-
mal and folksy. Refers to cloth that is 100
percent wool and exactly one yard wide.)
Old Bob is a true gentleman—all wool
and a yard wide. The banker, hardly all
wool and a yard wide, wouldn’t give us a
loan.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy. One should have recreation as well
as work. (Proverb. Jack does not refer to
anyone in particular. The phrase can be
used for persons of either sex.) Stop
reading that book and go out and play! All
work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
The doctor told Mr. Jones to stop working
on weekends and start playing golf, be-
cause all work and no play makes Jack a
dull boy.
(all) worked up (about something) Go to
(all) worked up (over something).
(all) year round throughout all the seasons
of the year; during the entire year. The
public swimming pool is enclosed so that
it can be used all year round. In the
South they can grow f lowers all year
round.
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