all
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- the whole of, every bit of, the complete, the entire, the sum of, the totality of, the total of
- every, each, each and every, every one of, every single
- complete, entire, full, greatest, perfect, total, utter
[adverb]
Synonyms:
- completely, altogether, entirely, fully, totally, utterly, wholly
[noun]
Synonyms:
- whole amount, aggregate, entirety, everything, sum total, total, totality, utmost

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Antonyms: no
Related Idioms: in its entirety
Related Words: full, plenary

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. all¹ S1 W1 /ɔːl $ ɒːl/ determiner, predeterminer, pronoun

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 something 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:
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 something 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 £1,550 in cash and promises of another £650, making £2,200 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 something 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 somebody cares at care²(8), ⇒ for all somebody knows at know¹(33), ⇒ all and sundry at sundry(1), ⇒ after all at after¹(13)


GRAMMAR
Use a singular verb after all when you are using an uncountable or singular noun:
All the food is prepared in advance. Use a plural verb when you are using a plural noun:
All the windows have locks.
If you are referring to a specific group or thing, use all (of) before 'the', 'my', 'these' etc:
All the money (NOT The all money) had been spent.
All of my friends were girls. If you are referring to a type of person or thing, use all directly before an uncountable noun or plural noun:
All reptiles have scaly skin. If you are saying that something happened continuously, use all directly before 'day', 'week' etc:
It rained all day yesterday.
When all follows a pronoun or noun referring to a group, it should come after the first auxiliary if there is one:
This is something in which we can all be involved (NOT we all can be involved). It comes after a simple tense of 'be':
They are all lawyers.
all, whole
With a singular noun, it is possible to use whole instead of all:
a war that could destroy the whole planet

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. all² S1 W1 adverb

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 (something)
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. all round British English, all around American English
a) used to say that you are describing the general quality or effect of something:
All round it’s not a bad car.
It was a nasty business all round.
b) from everyone, for everyone, or involving everyone:
There were smiles all round.
He paid for drinks all round.

8. 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.

9. all told including everything or everyone:
a project costing £10,000, all told

10. it’s all up (with somebody) informal British English used to say that someone’s success or happiness has ended:
If someone tells the police, then it’ll be all up with me.

11. be not all there informal someone who is not all there seems stupid or slightly crazy

12. 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.

13. be all over somebody informal to be trying to kiss someone and touch them, especially in a sexual way:
Before I could speak, he was all over me.


SPOKEN PHRASES

14. very:
You’re getting me all confused.

15. that’s somebody 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!

16. be all in British English to be very tired

17. somebody was all ... American English 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.’

18. not all that not very:
It doesn’t sound all that good, does it?
I don’t think it matters all that much.

19. somebody/something 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.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

all- /ɔːl $ ɒːl/ prefix

1. consisting of or made of only one kind of thing:
an all-male club
an all-wool coat

2. all-day/all-night continuing for the whole day or night:
an all-day seminar
an all-night café

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

all
pronoun
1.
DUBIOUS: He spent all the journey talking about accidents.
GOOD: He spent the whole journey talking about accidents.
BAD: This decision changed all of her life.
GOOD: This decision changed her whole life.

Usage Note:
Before the singular form of a countable noun we usually use whole or entire : 'We spent the whole lesson singing songs.' 'The entire document will have to be rewritten.' Note that sometimes both all and whole/entire are possible: 'It rained the whole/all the afternoon.' In these cases, whole/entire provides greater emphasis and often express a feeling of surprise, disappointment, satisfaction etc: 'I read the whole book in just two evenings.'

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2.
BAD: People envy her because she is good at all.
GOOD: People envy her because she is good at everything.
BAD: Nobody understands all.
GOOD: Nobody understands everything.

Usage Note:
Do not use all to mean 'everything' unless it is immediately followed by a relative clause: 'Is that all she wanted to know?'

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3.
BAD: All of us didn't want to go to bed.
GOOD: None of us wanted to go to bed.
BAD: All companies will not tolerate lazy workers.
GOOD: No company will tolerate lazy workers.

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4.
BAD: We all must try to find a solution to the problem.
GOOD: We must all try to find a solution to the problem.
BAD: We all were delighted when we heard the news.
GOOD: We were all delighted when we heard the news.

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5.
BAD: As all you know, my name is Mary Smith.
GOOD: As you all know, my name is Mary Smith.
BAD: I've never forgotten how beautiful all it was.
GOOD: I've never forgotten how beautiful it all was.

Usage Note:
All of is placed immediately before a pronoun, but all is placed immediately after. Compare: 'All of them speak French.' 'They all speak French.'

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6.
BAD: I like all the kinds of music.
GOOD: I like all kinds of music.
BAD: All of children learn to speak naturally.
GOOD: All children learn to speak naturally.
BAD: All of the young couples need a home of their own.
GOOD: All young couples need a home of their own.

Usage Note:
For general reference, put all/most/some etc immediately in front of the noun: 'In Japan most people use chopsticks.'
For specific reference, use all/most/some + of the/these/their etc + noun: 'Most of the Americans I met were very friendly.'

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7.
BAD: I didn't like the meal and couldn't eat all.
GOOD: I didn't like the meal and couldn't eat it all.
GOOD: I didn't like the meal and couldn't eat all of it.

Usage Note:
Do not use all to replace a pronoun. Use all (or all of ) with a pronoun: 'She took six exams and passed them all.' 'She took six exams and passed all of them.'

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8.
See DURING 2 (during)

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9.
See PEOPLE 1 (people)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

all
ɔ:l
See: after all , and all , at all , beat all or beat the dutch , for all , for all one is worth , for all one knows , for all the world , for good also for good and all , from the bottom of one's heart or with all one's heart , have all one's buttons or have all one's marbles , in all , jump on or jump all over or land all over , know-it-all , on all fours , once and for all , put all one's eggs in one basket , strike all of a heap , walk over or walk all over or step all over

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲