all
1 predet You use all to indicate that you are referring to the whole of a particular group or thing or to everyone or everything of a particular kind.
PREDET det pl-n/n-uncount
...the restaurant that Hugh and all his friends go to..., He lost all his money at a blackjack table in Las Vegas.
All is also a determiner., det DET pl-n/n-uncount
There is built-in storage space in all bedrooms..., 85 percent of all American households owe money on mortgages..., He was passionate about all literature.
All is also a quantifier., quant QUANT of def-pl-n/def-n-uncount
He was told to pack up all of his letters and personal belongings..., He was talking to all of us.
All is also a pronoun., pron
We produce our own hair-care products, all based on herbal recipes..., I'd spent all I had, every last penny.
All is also an emphasizing pronoun., pron n PRON v
Milk, oily fish and egg all contain vitamin D..., We all admire professionalism and dedication.
2 det You use all to refer to the whole of a particular period of time.
DET sing-n
George had to cut grass all afternoon..., She's been feeling bad all week.
All is also a predeterminer., predet PREDET det sing-n
She's worked all her life..., He was looking at me all the time.
All is also a quantifier., quant QUANT of def-n
He spent all of that afternoon polishing the silver..., Two-thirds of the women interviewed think about food a lot or all of the time.
3 pron You use all to refer to a situation or to life in general.
All is silent on the island now..., As you'll have read in our news pages, all has not been well of late.
4 adv You use all to emphasize that something is completely true, or happens everywhere or always, or on every occasion.
ADV prep/adv (emphasis)
He loves animals and he knows all about them..., Parts for the aircraft will be made all round the world..., I got scared and I ran and left her all alone..., He was doing it all by himself...
5 pron You use all at the beginning of a clause when you are emphasizing that something is the only thing that is important., (emphasis)
He said all that remained was to agree to a time and venue..., All you ever want to do is go shopping!..., All I could say was, `I'm sorry'.
6 det You use all in expressions such as in all sincerity and in all probability to emphasize that you are being sincere or that something is very likely.
in DET n-uncount (emphasis)
In all fairness he had to admit that she was neither dishonest nor lazy...
7 adv You use all when you are talking about an equal score in a game. For example, if the score is three all, both players or teams have three points.
amount ADV
8 adv All is used in structures such as all the more or all the better to mean even more or even better than before.
ADV the adv/adj-compar
The living room is decorated in pale colours that make it all the more airy...
9 pron You use all in expressions such as seen it all and done it all to emphasize that someone has had a lot of experience of something., (emphasis)
...women who have it all: career, husband and children..., Here's a man who has seen it all, tasted and heard it all.
10 You say above all to indicate that the thing you are mentioning is the most important point.
♦
above all phrase PHR with cl/group (emphasis)
Above all, chairs should be comfortable...
11 You use after all when introducing a statement which supports or helps explain something you have just said.
♦
after all phrase PHR with cl
I thought you might know somebody. After all, you're the man with connections.
12 You use after all when you are saying that something that you thought might not be the case is in fact the case.
♦
after all phrase
I came out here on the chance of finding you at home after all...
13 You use and all when you want to emphasize that what you are talking about includes the thing mentioned, especially when this is surprising or unusual.
♦
and all phrase n PHR (emphasis)
He dropped his sausage on the pavement and someone's dog ate it, mustard and all.
14 You use all in all to introduce a summary or general statement.
♦
all in all phrase PHR with cl
We both thought that all in all it might not be a bad idea...
15 You use at all at the end of a clause to give emphasis in negative statements, conditional clauses, and questions.
♦
at all phrase
(emphasis)
Robin never really liked him at all...
16 All but a particular person or thing means everyone or everything except that person or thing.
♦
all but phrase PHR n
The general was an unattractive man to all but his most ardent admirers...
17 You use all but to say that something is almost the case.
♦
all but phrase PHR -ed
The concrete wall that used to divide this city has now all but gone...
18 You use for all to indicate that the thing mentioned does not affect or contradict the truth of what you are saying.
♦
for all phrase PHR n
(=despite)
For all its faults, the film instantly became a classic.
19 You use for all in phrases such as for all I know, and for all he cares, to emphasize that you do not know something or that someone does not care about something.
♦
for all phrase PHR with cl (emphasis)
For all we know, he may even not be in this country..., You can go right now for all I care.
20 If you give your all or put your all into something, you make the maximum effort possible.
♦
give one's all/put one's all phrase V inflects
He puts his all into every game.
21 In all means in total.
♦
in all phrase PHR with cl, amount PHR
There was evidence that thirteen people in all had taken part in planning the murder.
22 If something such as an activity is a particular price all in, that price includes everything that is offered.
(mainly BRIT)
INFORMAL
♦
all in phrase amount PHR, PHR with cl
Dinner is about £25 all in.
23 You use of all to emphasize the words `first' or `last', or a superlative adjective or adverb.
♦
of all phrase PHR with superl (emphasis)
First of all, answer these questions..., Now she faces her toughest task of all.
24 You use of all in expressions such as of all people or of all things when you want to emphasize someone or something surprising.
♦
of all phrase PHR n (emphasis)
They met and fell in love in a supermarket, of all places.
25 You use all in expressions like of all the cheek or of all the luck to emphasize how angry or surprised you are at what someone else has done or said.
♦
of all the X phrase
(feelings)
Of all the lazy, indifferent, unbusinesslike attitudes to have!
26 You use all of before a number to emphasize how small or large an amount is.
♦
all of phrase PHR amount (emphasis)
It took him all of 41 minutes to score his first goal...
27 You use all that in statements with negative meaning when you want to weaken the force of what you are saying.
SPOKEN
♦
all that phrase PHR with brd-neg, PHR adj/adv (vagueness)
He wasn't all that older than we were...
28 You can say that's all at the end of a sentence when you are explaining something and want to emphasize that nothing more happens or is the case.
♦
that's all phrase cl PHR
`Why do you want to know that?' he demanded.<emdash>`Just curious, that's all.'
29 You use all very well to suggest that you do not really approve of something or you think that it is unreasonable.
♦
all very well phrase v-link PHR (disapproval)
It is all very well to urge people to give more to charity when they have less, but is it really fair?