all : Idioms & Phrases

• adverb above and beyond all other consideration
  most especially; most importantly.
  
  • above all, you must be independent
• adverb taking everything together
  first and last.
  
  • she was first and last a scientist

WordNet

• before every other consideration; chiefly; in preference to other things.

Webster 1913

• adverb emphasizes something to be considered
  
  • after all, she is your boss, so invite her
  • he is, after all, our president
• adverb in spite of expectations
  
  • came to the party after all
  • it didn't rain after all

WordNet

• after considering everything to the contrary; nevertheless.
• when everything has been considered; upon the whole.

Webster 1913

• adverb all the time or over a period of time
  right along.
  
  • She had known all along
  • the hope had been there all along

WordNet

• . See under Along.

Webster 1913

• individually and collectively, one and all. Obs. "Displeased all and some." Fairfax.

Webster 1913

• noun a versatile person who is expert at many things
  all arounder.
  
  • she's the best all-rounder they've seen in years

WordNet

• adverb all at the same time
  all at once.
  
  • Let's say `Yes!' all at once
• adverb without warning
  all at once.
  
  • all at once, he started shouting

WordNet

• . (a) Scarcely; not even. Obs. Shak. (b) Almost; nearly. "The fine arts were all but proscribed." Macaulay.

Webster 1913

• noun a signal (usually a siren) that danger is over
  
• noun permission to proceed because obstacles have been removed
  

WordNet

• adverb during the entire day
  daylong.
  
  • light pours daylong into the parlor

WordNet

• noun the first day of April which is celebrated by playing practical jokes
  April Fools'; April Fools' day.
  

WordNet

All" Fools' Day`

Definitions

1. The first day of April, a day on which sportive impositions are practiced.

   The first of April, some do say, Is set apart for All Fools' Day. Poor Robin's Almanack (1760).

Webster 1913

• noun card games in which points are won for taking the high or low or jack or game
  high-low-jack.
  

WordNet

All` fours"

Etymology

Definitions

1. All four legs of a quadruped; or the two legs and two arms of a person.

Webster 1913

• noun an unimaginably large amount
  billy-ho; billyo; billyoh.
  
  • British say `it rained like billyo' where Americans say `it rained like all get out'

WordNet

All` hail"

Etymology

Definitions

1. All health; -- a phrase of salutation or welcome.

Webster 1913

• entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all hollow. Low

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite of the greatest importance
  all important; crucial; of the essence; essential.
  
  • the all-important subject of disarmament
  • crucial information
  • in chess cool nerves are of the essence

WordNet

• adjective satellite very tired
  beat; bushed; dead.
  
  • was all in at the end of the day
  • so beat I could flop down and go to sleep anywhere
  • bushed after all that exercise
  • I'm dead after that long trip

WordNet

• adverb with everything considered (and neglecting details)
  altogether; on the whole; tout ensemble.
  
  • altogether, I'm sorry it happened
  • all in all, it's not so bad

WordNet

• a phrase which signifies all things to a person, or everything desired; (also adverbially) wholly; altogether.

  Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee, Forever. Milton.

  Trust me not at all, or all in all. Tennyson.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), a phrase denoting that the sails are parallel with the course of the wind, so as to shake.

Webster 1913

• adverb without warning
  all at once.
  
  • all at once, he started shouting
• adverb happening unexpectedly
  suddenly; of a sudden.
  
  • suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her side

WordNet

• the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same thing.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite having come or been brought to a conclusion
  concluded; terminated; complete; over; ended.
  
  • the harvesting was complete
  • the affair is over, ended, finished
  • the abruptly terminated interview
• adverb over the entire area
  over.
  
  • the wallpaper was covered all over with flowers
  • she ached all over
  • everything was dusted over with a fine layer of soot
• adverb to or in any or all places; (`everyplace' is used informally for `everywhere')
  everyplace; everywhere.
  
  • You find fast food stores everywhere
  • people everywhere are becoming aware of the problem
  • he carried a gun everywhere he went
  • looked all over for a suitable gift

WordNet

• over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as, she is her mother all over. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
  okay; hunky-dory; o.k.; ok; fine.
  
  • an all-right movie
  • the passengers were shaken up but are all right
  • is everything all right?
  • everything's fine
  • things are okay
  • dinner and the movies had been fine
  • another minute I'd have been fine
• adverb an expression of agreement normally occurring at the beginning of a sentence
  alright; OK; fine; very well.
  
• adverb without doubt (used to reinforce an assertion)
  alright.
  
  • it's expensive all right
• adverb in a satisfactory or adequate manner; (`alright' is a nonstandard variant of `all right')
  alright; O.K.; okay.
  
  • she'll do okay on her own
  • held up all right under pressure

WordNet

All" Saints`, All" Saints' (Also<

• All Saints
• All Saints'

)

Definitions

1. The first day of November, called, also, Allhallows or Hallowmas; a feast day kept in honor of all the saints; also, the season of this festival.

Webster 1913

• noun a Christian feast day honoring all the saints; first observed in 835
  November 1; Hallowmas; Hallowmass; Allhallows.
  

WordNet

• noun a day of supplication for all the souls in purgatory
  November 2.
  

WordNet

All" Souls' Day`

Definitions

1. The second day of November; a feast day of the Roman Catholic church, on which supplications are made for the souls of the faithful dead.

Webster 1913

• wholly the better; that is, better by the whole difference.

Webster 1913

• adverb despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession)
  nonetheless; nevertheless; however; withal; even so; notwithstanding; still; yet.
  
  • although I'm a little afraid, however I'd like to try it
  • while we disliked each other, nevertheless we agreed
  • he was a stern yet fair master
  • granted that it is dangerous, all the same I still want to go

WordNet

• nevertheless. "There they [certain phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we recognize them or not." J. C. Shairp. "But Rugby is a very nice place all the same." T. Arnold. See also under All, n.

Webster 1913

• adverb without respite
  day in and day out.
  
  • he plays chess day in and day out

WordNet

• adverb to the goal
  the whole way.
  
  • she climbed the mountain all the way
• adverb completely
  clear.
  
  • read the book clear to the end
  • slept clear through the night
  • there were open fields clear to the horizon
• adverb not stopping short of sexual intercourse
  
  • she went all the way with him

WordNet

• the whole (emphatically). Obs. "All the whole army."

Webster 1913

• . In such phrases as "all to rent," "all to break," "all-to frozen," etc., which are of frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb, equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether. But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all (as it does in "all forlorn," and similar expressions), and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer-). It is frequently to be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus Wyclif says, "The vail of the temple was to rent:" and of Judas, "He was hanged and to-burst the middle:" i. e., burst in two, or asunder.

Webster 1913

• adverb all at the same time
  all at once.
  
  • Let's say `Yes!' all at once
• adverb used of a group whose members acted or were acted upon collectively and when `all' and `together' can be separated by other words
  
  • they were herded all together
  • they were all herded together
  • the books lay all together in a heap
  • the books all lay together...

WordNet

• adverb with everything included or counted
  all told; altogether.
  
  • altogether he earns close to a million dollars

WordNet

• all counted; in all.

Webster 1913

• adverb to a high degree
  only too.
  
  • she is all too ready to accept the job

WordNet

All`-a-mort" adjective

Definitions

1. See Alamort.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite many-sided
  well-rounded; all-round; all-around.
  
  • an all-around athlete
  • a well-rounded curriculum

WordNet

• noun hard candy on a stick
  sucker; lollipop.
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite (of animals) both plant-eating and flesh-eating
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite broad in scope or content
  wide; across-the-board; broad; blanket; all-encompassing; encompassing; all-embracing; extensive; panoptic.
  
  • across-the-board pay increases
  • an all-embracing definition
  • blanket sanctions against human-rights violators
  • an invention with broad applications
  • a panoptic study of Soviet nationality"- T.G.Winner
  • granted him wide powers

WordNet

• adjective satellite broad in scope or content
  wide; across-the-board; broad; blanket; all-encompassing; encompassing; all-embracing; extensive; panoptic.
  
  • across-the-board pay increases
  • an all-embracing definition
  • blanket sanctions against human-rights violators
  • an invention with broad applications
  • a panoptic study of Soviet nationality"- T.G.Winner
  • granted him wide powers

WordNet

• adjective satellite extreme; used as an intensifier
  
  • why is he in such an all-fired hurry?
• adverb extremely
  damn; bloody.
  
  • you are bloody right
  • Why are you so all-fired aggressive?

WordNet

All`-hail" transitive verb

Definitions

1. To salute; to greet. Poet.

   Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me "Thane of Cawdor." Shak.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite of the greatest importance
  all important; crucial; of the essence; essential.
  
  • the all-important subject of disarmament
  • crucial information
  • in chess cool nerves are of the essence

WordNet

• adjective satellite broad in scope or content
  wide; across-the-board; broad; blanket; all-encompassing; encompassing; all-embracing; extensive; panoptic.
  
  • across-the-board pay increases
  • an all-embracing definition
  • blanket sanctions against human-rights violators
  • an invention with broad applications
  • a panoptic study of Soviet nationality"- T.G.Winner
  • granted him wide powers

WordNet

• adjective satellite infinitely wise
  omniscient.
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite used of a radio receiver that is adaptable to all voltages
  
  • an all-mains set

WordNet

• adjective satellite consisting completely of metal
  
  • all-metal airplanes

WordNet

• adjective satellite lasting, open, or operating through the whole night
  nightlong; overnight.
  
  • a nightlong vigil
  • an all-night drugstore
  • an overnight trip

WordNet

• adjective satellite occurring completely or not occurring at all
  all-or-none.
  

WordNet

• noun (neurophysiology) a nerve impulse resulting from a weak stimulus is just as strong as a nerve impulse resulting from a strong stimulus
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite occurring completely or not occurring at all
  all-or-none.
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite using all available resources
  full-scale.
  
  • all-out war
  • a full-scale campaign against nuclear power plants

WordNet

All`-pos*sessed" adjective

Definitions

1. Controlled by an evil spirit or by evil passions; wild. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite having unlimited power
  almighty; omnipotent.
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite not limited in use or function
  general-purpose.
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite many-sided
  well-rounded; all-round; all-around.
  
  • an all-around athlete
  • a well-rounded curriculum

WordNet

• noun a versatile person who is expert at many things
  all arounder.
  
  • she's the best all-rounder they've seen in years
• adjective satellite many-sided
  well-rounded; all-round; all-around.
  
  • an all-around athlete
  • a well-rounded curriculum

WordNet

• noun a bicycle with a sturdy frame and fat tires; originally designed for riding in mountainous country
  off-roader; mountain bike.
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite unsurpassed in some respect up to the present
  
  • prices at an all-time high
  • morale at an all-time low
  • among the all-time great lefthanders

WordNet

• adjective satellite never having lost
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite usable or operative or practiced in all kinds of weather
  
  • a good all-weather road
  • all-weather flying

WordNet

• and the rest; and everything connected. "Bring our crown and all." Shak.

Webster 1913

• noun a takeover bid where the acquirer offers to buy any and all shares outstanding
  

WordNet

• (Blazoning), completely incased in armor, sometimes described as armed cap-à-pie. Cussans.

Webster 1913

• adverb in the slightest degree or in any respect
  in the least; the least bit.
  
  • Are you at all interested? No, not at all
  • was not in the least unfriendly

WordNet

• . (a) In every respect; wholly; thoroughly. Obs. "She is a shrew at al(l)." Chaucer. (b) A phrase much used by way of enforcement or emphasis, usually in negative or interrogative sentences, and signifying in any way or respect; in the least degree or to the least extent; in the least; under any circumstances; as, he has no ambition at all; has he any property at all? "Nothing at all. " Shak. "It thy father at all miss me." 1 Sam. xx. 6 .

Webster 1913

• See under All, Home, Large, Last (phrase and syn.), Length, Once, etc.

Webster 1913

• adverb regardless of the cost involved
  at any cost; at any expense.
  
  • he wanted to save her life at all cost

WordNet

• on all sides; from every direction; generally.

Webster 1913

• in every particular, completely; perfectly. Shak.

Webster 1913

• at all points; in all respects. Obs. Chaucer.

Webster 1913

• noun the essential factor; the all-important element; the supreme aim
  be all and end all.
  
  • profit is the be-all and end-all of business

WordNet

Be"-all` noun

Definitions

1. The whole; all that is to be. Poetic Shak.

Webster 1913

• noun the essential factor; the all-important element; the supreme aim
  be all and end all.
  
  • profit is the be-all and end-all of business

WordNet

• adverb especially fortunate
  
  • best of all, we don't have any homework!

WordNet

• noun little or nothing at all
  Fanny Adams; bugger all; sweet Fanny Adams.
  
  • I asked for a raise and they gave me bugger-all
  • I know sweet Fanny Adams about surgery

WordNet

• adverb definitely or certainly
  
  • Visit us by all means

WordNet

• most assuredly; without fail; certainly.
• certainly; without fail; as, go, by all means.

Webster 1913

• adverb without question and beyond doubt
  decidedly; emphatically; in spades; unquestionably; definitely.
  
  • it was decidedly too expensive
  • she told him off in spades
  • by all odds they should win

WordNet

• noun hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought by the alchemists
  catholicon; nostrum; panacea.
  

WordNet

Do"-all` noun

Definitions

1. General manager; factotum.

   Under him, Dunstan was the do-all at court, being the king's treasurer, councilor, chancellor, confessor, all things. Fuller.

Webster 1913

• noun the ultimate goal
  
  • human beings are not the end-all of evolution

WordNet

• verb display excessive love or show excessive gratitude towards
  
  • This student falls all over her former professor when she sees him

WordNet

• adverb before anything else
  firstly; first off; foremost; first.
  
  • first we must consider the garter snake

WordNet

• adverb in every practical sense
  for all intents and purposes; for all practical purposes.
  
  • to all intents and purposes the case is closed
  • the rest are for all practical purposes useless

WordNet

• adverb in every practical sense
  for all intents and purposes; for all practical purposes.
  
  • to all intents and purposes the case is closed
  • the rest are for all practical purposes useless

WordNet

• notwithstanding; in spite of.

Webster 1913

• adverb under any circumstances
  for love or money; for anything; for any price.
  
  • she wouldn't give up her pets for love or money

WordNet

• . (a) Precisely; exactly. (b) For any consideration.
• wholly; exactly. "Whose posy was, for all the world, like cutlers' poetry." Shak.

Webster 1913

• completely and finally; fully; truly.

  The good woman never died after this, till she came to die for good and all. L'Estrange.

Webster 1913

• as far as regards me.

Webster 1913

• noun a noisy fight in a crowd
  brawl.
  

WordNet

• noun little or nothing at all
  Fanny Adams; bugger all; sweet Fanny Adams.
  
  • I asked for a raise and they gave me bugger-all
  • I know sweet Fanny Adams about surgery

WordNet

• verb perform a task as well as possible
  do one's best; give one's best; give full measure.
  
  • The cast gives full measure every night

WordNet

• noun decumbent blue-flowered European perennial thought to possess healing properties; naturalized throughout North America
  self-heal; Prunella vulgaris.
  
• noun common woodland herb of temperate North America having yellow nodding flowers and small round blue fruits
  yellow clintonia; Clintonia borealis.
  

WordNet

• adverb with everything included or counted
  all told; altogether.
  
  • altogether he earns close to a million dollars

WordNet

• adverb with considerable certainty; without much doubt
  belike; probably; likely; in all likelihood.
  
  • He is probably out of the country
  • in all likelihood we are headed for war

WordNet

• adverb with considerable certainty; without much doubt
  belike; probably; likely; in all likelihood.
  
  • He is probably out of the country
  • in all likelihood we are headed for war

WordNet

• in justice; with rational ground; in a right view.

  When anything is proved by as good arguments as a thing of that kind is capable of, we ought not, in reason, to doubt of its existence. Tillotson.

Webster 1913

• in deference or obedience to conscience or reason; in reason; reasonably.

  "This is enough in conscience." Howell. "Half a dozen fools are, in all conscience, as many as you should require." Swift.

Webster 1913

• it is all over with him; he is lost.

Webster 1913

• noun a person able to do a variety of different jobs acceptably well
  
• noun a man skilled in various odd jobs and other small tasks
  odd-job man; handyman.
  

WordNet

• one who can turn his hand to any kind of work.

Webster 1913

• noun someone who thinks he knows everything and refuses to accept advice or information from others
  know-all.
  

WordNet

Know"-all` noun

Definitions

1. One who knows everything; hence, one who makes pretension to great knowledge; a wiseacre; -- usually ironical. Colloq. or R. = know-it-all

Webster 1913

• noun someone who thinks he knows everything and refuses to accept advice or information from others
  know-all.
  

WordNet

• adverb especially not
  
  • nobody, least of all Joe, agreed with me

WordNet

• for the sake of all love; by all means. Obs. "Mrs. Arden desired him of all loves to come back again." Holinshed.

Webster 1913

• adverb at any time
  ever.
  
  • did you ever smoke?
  • the best con man of all time

WordNet

• adverb on hands and knees
  
  • he got down on all fours to play with his grandson

WordNet

• adverb in a conclusive way
  conclusively.
  
  • we settled the problem conclusively

WordNet

• (Her.), placed over or upon other bearings, and therefore hinding them in part; said of a charge.
• everywhere. Obs. Chaucer.

Webster 1913

• noun an expedient adopted only in desperation
  last resort.
  
  • `pis aller' is French for `worst going'

WordNet

• verb use all resources available
  
  • The organizers pulled out all the stops for the centennial meeting

WordNet

• noun a receptacle for catching waste products for further use
  
• noun a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail
  
• noun a net hung between ship and pier while loading a ship
  

WordNet

Save"-all` noun

Etymology

Definitions

1. Anything which saves fragments, or prevents waste or loss. Specifically: (a) A device in a candlestick to hold the ends of candles, so that they be burned. (b) (Naut.) A small sail sometimes set under the foot of another sail, to catch the wind that would pass under it. Totten. (c) A trough to prevent waste in a paper-making machine.

Webster 1913

• noun someone who spends money prodigally
  spendthrift; spender; scattergood.
  

WordNet

• in all applications or senses; practically; really; virtually; essentially. "He was miserable to all intents and purpose."

Webster 1913

• adverb in every practical sense
  for all intents and purposes; for all practical purposes.
  
  • to all intents and purposes the case is closed
  • the rest are for all practical purposes useless

WordNet

• (Fig.), to be on the same footing; to correspond (with) exactly; to be alike in all the circumstances to be considered. "This example is on all fours with the other." "No simile can go on all fours." Macaulay.

Webster 1913

• to be all settled. Colloq. Dickens.

Webster 1913

• to unsettle or disconcert completely; to upset. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• to overcome all obstacles; to have uninterrupted success.

Webster 1913

• to correspond exactly, point for point.

  It is not easy to make a simile go on all fours. Macaulay.

Webster 1913

• to die. = to go the way of all flesh.

Webster 1913

Ty"-all` noun

Definitions

1. Something serving to tie or secure. Obs. Latimer.

Webster 1913

Up"tails` all"

Definitions

1. An old game at cards. Obs.
2. Revelers; roysterers. Obs. Decker.
3. Revelry; confusion; frolic. Obs. Herrick.

Webster 1913

• very earnestly; fully; completely; devotedly.

Webster 1913

• with all one's strength; with violent effort.

Webster 1913