all

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.