| Content |
all(determiner)/ɔːl/ /ɔːl/- the whole number of
- All horses are animals, but not all animals are horses.
- Cars were coming from all directions (= every direction).
- All the people you invited are coming.
- All my plants have died.
- All five men are hard workers.
- the whole amount of
- All wood tends to shrink.
- You've had all the fun and I've had all the hard work.
- All this mail must be answered.
- He has lost all his money.
- used with singular nouns showing something has been happening for a whole period of time
- He's worked hard all year.
- She was unemployed for all that time.
- the greatest possible
- In all honesty (= being as honest as I can), I can't agree.
- consisting or appearing to consist of one thing only
- The magazine was all advertisements.
- She was all smiles (= smiling a lot).
- any whatever
- He denied all knowledge of the crime.
- and other similar things
- I'm bored by history—dates and battles and all that stuff.
- despite
- For all its clarity of style, the book is not easy reading.
- used to say that something is not important or of no interest or value to you/somebody
- For all I know she's still living in Boston.
- You can do what you like, for all I care.
- For all the good it's done we might as well not have bothered.
- not particularly good, well, etc.
- He doesn't sing all that well.
- not as much as has been suggested
- They're not as rich as all that.
- We didn't play particularly well, but we didn't do as badly as all that.
- used to express anger
- I've locked myself out. Of all the stupid things to do!
- used to express surprise because somebody/something seems the least likely person, example, etc.
- I didn't think you, of all people, would become a vegetarian.
- in or from all directions; everywhere
- We realized we were surrounded on all sides.
- Disaster threatens on every side.
- She was bombarded with questions from all sides.
Word Origin- Old English all, eall, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch al and German all.
|