all

all¹ W1S1 [o:l US o:l] determiner, predeterminer, pron

1.) the whole of an amount, thing, or type of thing

▪ Have you done all your homework?

all your life/all day/all year etc

(=during the whole of your life, a day, a year etc)

▪ He had worked all his life in the mine.

▪ The boys played video games all day.

▪ They were quarrelling all the time (=very often or continuously) .

▪ Hannah didn't say a single word all the way back home (=during the whole of the journey) .

all of

▪ Almost all of the music was from Italian operas.

▪ I've heard it all before.

▪ She'd given up all hope of having a child.

2.) every one of a number of people or things, or every thing or person of a particular type

▪ Someone's taken all my books!

▪ Will all the girls please stand over here.

▪ All children should be taught to swim.

▪ 16 per cent of all new cars sold in Western Europe these days are diesel-engined.

▪ They all speak excellent English.

all of

▪ important changes that will affect all of us

3.) the only thing or things

▪ All you need is a hammer and some nails.

▪ All I'm asking for is a little respect.

4.) formal everything

▪ I'm doing all I can to help her.

▪ I hope all is well with you.

▪ All was dark and silent down by the harbour wall.

5.) used to emphasize that you mean the greatest possible amount of the quality you are mentioning

▪ Can any of us say in all honesty that we did everything we could?

6.) at all

used in negative statements and questions to emphasize what you are saying

▪ They've done nothing at all to try and put the problem right.

▪ He's not looking at all well.

▪ 'Do you mind if I stay a little longer?' 'No, not at all.'

▪ Has the situation improved at all?

7.) all sorts/kinds/types of sth

many different kinds of something

▪ Social workers have to deal with all kinds of problems.

8.) of all people/things/places etc

used to emphasize that your statement is true of one particular person, thing, or place more than any other

▪ Of course, you shouldn't have done it. You of all people should know that.

▪ She did not want to quarrel with Maria today, of all days.

9.) all in all

used to show that you are considering every part of a situation

▪ All in all, it had been one of the most miserable days of Henry's life.

10.) for all sth

in spite of a particular fact

▪ For all his faults, he's a kind-hearted old soul.

▪ For all my love of landscape, nothing could persuade me to spend another day in the Highlands.

11.) in all

including every thing or person

▪ In all, there were 215 candidates.

▪ We received £1550 in cash and promises of another £650, making £2200 in all.

12.) and all

a) including the thing or things just mentioned

▪ They ate the whole fish - head, bones, tail, and all.

b) spoken informal used to emphasize a remark that you have just added

▪ And you can take that smelly old coat out of here, and all!

13.) all of 50p/20 minutes etc

spoken used to emphasize how large or small an amount actually is

▪ The game lasted all of 58 seconds.

▪ The repairs are going to cost all of £15,000.

14.) it's all or nothing

used to say that unless something is done completely, it is not acceptable

▪ Half-heartedness won't do - it's got to be all or nothing.

15.) give your all

to make the greatest possible effort in order to achieve something

▪ The coach expects every player to give their all in every game.

16.) it was all I could do to do sth

used to say that you only just succeeded in doing something

▪ It was all I could do to stop them hitting each other.

17.) when all's said and done

spoken used to remind someone about an important point that needs to be considered

▪ When all's said and done, he's only a kid.

→for all sb cares at ↑care² (8)

→for all sb knows at ↑know¹ (33)

→all and sundry at ↑sundry

→after all at ↑after¹ (13)

all ²

all² W1S1 adv

1.) [always + adjective/adverb/preposition]

completely

▪ You shouldn't be sitting here by yourself, all alone.

▪ a strange woman, dressed all in black

▪ If people want more freedom of choice, then I'm all for it (=I strongly support it) .

▪ 'It was a dreadful experience.' 'Never mind, it's all over (=completely finished) now.'

2.) all over (sth)

a) everywhere on an object or surface

▪ There were bits of paper all over the floor.

▪ He has cuts all over his legs.

▪ She ached all over (=her whole body ached) .

b) everywhere in a place

▪ Antique clocks from all over the world are on display.

▪ People came from all over the country.

▪ They're putting up new offices all over the place.

3.) all the better/easier/more etc

used to emphasize how much better, easier etc something is than it would be in a different situation

▪ Clayton's achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider his poor performance last season.

▪ The job was made all the easier by having the proper tools.

4.) all but

almost completely

▪ Britain's coal industry has all but disappeared.

▪ His left arm was all but useless.

5.) all too

used to mean 'very' when talking about a bad situation

▪ All too often it's the mother who gets blamed for her children's behaviour.

▪ In these conditions it was all too easy to make mistakes.

6.) all along informal

all the time from the beginning while something was happening

▪ Chapman had known all along that the plan wouldn't work.

▪ We had to admit that Dad had been right all along.

7.) one all/two all etc

used when giving the score of a game in which both players or teams have scored the same number of points

▪ The game ended one-all.

8.) all told

including everything or everyone

▪ a project costing £10,000, all told

9.) it's all up (with sb)

informal BrE used to say that someone's success or happiness has ended

▪ If someone tells the police, then it'll be all up with me.

10.) be not all there informal

someone who is not all there seems stupid or slightly crazy

11.) be all smiles/innocence/sweetness etc

to be showing a lot of a particular quality or type of behaviour

▪ The mayor and mayoress were all smiles and kisses during the grand ceremony.

12.) be all over sb informal

to be trying to kiss someone and touch them, especially in a sexual way

▪ Before I could speak, he was all over me.

13.) spoken very

▪ You're getting me all confused.

14.) spoken that's sb all over

used to say that a particular way of behaving is typical of someone

▪ He was late of course, but that's Tim all over!

15.) spoken be all in

BrE to be very tired

16.) spoken sb was all ...

AmE used to report what someone said or did, when telling a story

▪ He drove me home, and he was all, 'I love this car ... it's like a rocket.'

17.) spoken not all that

not very

▪ It doesn't sound all that good, does it?

▪ I don't think it matters all that much.

18.) spoken sb/sth is not all that

used to say that someone or something is not very attractive or desirable

▪ I don't know why you keep chasing her around. She's not all that.