1 all
Pronounced:
/ˈɑ:l/
Function:
adjectiveMeaning:
1 : the whole, entire, total amount, quantity, or extent of ▪ He stayed awake all night. [=the whole/entire night] ▪ She worked hard all day. [=throughout the entire day] ▪ I've been waiting all week to see her. ▪ He had to walk all the way home. ▪ She works all year round. ▪ He'll need all the help he can get. ▪ Someone took all the candy. ▪ It was one of the greatest victories of all time. [=one of the greatest victories ever] ▪ I think about her all the time. [=I think about her constantly]
2 a : every member or part of —used with a plural noun or pronoun to mean that a statement is true of every person or thing in a group ▪ All my friends were there. ▪ a film suitable for all ages ▪ They all came late. ▪ We all need to work faster. ▪ I read all the magazines. = I read them all. ▪ All these eggs are ready. ▪ “…all men are created equal…” —U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776) ▪ She thinks all teenagers are alike. = She thinks teenagers are all alike. ▪ Not all teenagers are alike. = Teenagers are not all alike. ▪ They serve breakfast at all hours. [=at any hour, at any time of day] ▪ They were up till/until all hours. [=they were up very late] ▪ She has to deal with all kinds/sorts/types of people. [=with people of every kind/sort/type] b : the whole number or sum of —used with a plural noun or pronoun to mean that a statement is true of a group of people or things considered together ▪ It was great to see him again after all these years.
3 : any whatever ▪ His guilt is beyond all doubt. [=he is certainly guilty] ▪ She denied all [=any] responsibility for the accident.
4 a : as much as possible of (something) —used to indicate the manner in which something is done ▪ He spoke in all seriousness/innocence. [=he spoke in a completely serious/innocent way] b : having or showing only (some quality, feature, etc.) ▪ The students became all attention [=became very attentive] when the teacher came in. ▪ He was all smiles with the boss. [=he was smiling constantly when he was with the boss] ▪ This drink is too strong: it's all alcohol! c —used to indicate that someone has or seems to have a lot of or too much of some physical feature ▪ an actress who is all legs [=an actress who has very long legs] —see also all ears at 1ear all eyes at 1eye all heart at heart all mouth at 1mouth all thumbs at 1thumb
5 US chiefly Southern informal —used in speech to refer to a group of people or things ▪ Who all is coming? [=who is coming?] ▪ What all do we need to do? [=what are the things that we need to do?] —see also what all, you-all
2 a : every member or part of —used with a plural noun or pronoun to mean that a statement is true of every person or thing in a group ▪ All my friends were there. ▪ a film suitable for all ages ▪ They all came late. ▪ We all need to work faster. ▪ I read all the magazines. = I read them all. ▪ All these eggs are ready. ▪ “…all men are created equal…” —U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776) ▪ She thinks all teenagers are alike. = She thinks teenagers are all alike. ▪ Not all teenagers are alike. = Teenagers are not all alike. ▪ They serve breakfast at all hours. [=at any hour, at any time of day] ▪ They were up till/until all hours. [=they were up very late] ▪ She has to deal with all kinds/sorts/types of people. [=with people of every kind/sort/type] b : the whole number or sum of —used with a plural noun or pronoun to mean that a statement is true of a group of people or things considered together ▪ It was great to see him again after all these years.
3 : any whatever ▪ His guilt is beyond all doubt. [=he is certainly guilty] ▪ She denied all [=any] responsibility for the accident.
4 a : as much as possible of (something) —used to indicate the manner in which something is done ▪ He spoke in all seriousness/innocence. [=he spoke in a completely serious/innocent way] b : having or showing only (some quality, feature, etc.) ▪ The students became all attention [=became very attentive] when the teacher came in. ▪ He was all smiles with the boss. [=he was smiling constantly when he was with the boss] ▪ This drink is too strong: it's all alcohol! c —used to indicate that someone has or seems to have a lot of or too much of some physical feature ▪ an actress who is all legs [=an actress who has very long legs] —see also all ears at 1ear all eyes at 1eye all heart at heart all mouth at 1mouth all thumbs at 1thumb
5 US chiefly Southern informal —used in speech to refer to a group of people or things ▪ Who all is coming? [=who is coming?] ▪ What all do we need to do? [=what are the things that we need to do?] —see also what all, you-all
for all
: in spite of (something) ▪ For all his confident talk, he is actually very unsure of himself. ▪ She still loves him, for all his faults.
of all (the)
informal —used in phrases to express surprise, disapproval, anger, etc. ▪ Who should I meet in New York but Max of all people! = Of all the people in New York, who should I run into but Max! [=I was very surprised to meet Max in New York] ▪ Why did my car break down now of all times, when I can least afford it?! ▪ “He actually called you a fool!” “Of all the nerve!” [=I am shocked and offended that he called me a fool]