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 particularkind.
...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.
There is built-in storage space in all bedrooms.
85 percent of all American households owe money on mortgages.
Germany, like all great nations, will not change its personality.
He was passionate about all literature.
All is also a quantifier.
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.
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.
Milk, oily fish and egg all contain vitamin D.
We all admire professionalism and dedication.
2. determiner
You use all to refer to the whole of a particular period of time.
George had to cut grass all afternoon.
She's been feeling bad all week.
All is also a predeterminer.
She's worked all her life.
He was looking at me all the time.
All is also a quantifier.
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. pronoun
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. adverb
You use all to emphasize that something is completely true, or happens everywhere or always, or on every occasion.
[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.
All around he could hear people calling out his name.
Synonyms: completely, totally, fully, entirely More Synonyms of all
5. pronoun
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. determiner
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.
[emphasis]
In all fairness he had to admit that she was neither dishonest nor lazy.
If the pool was open, we'd in all probability still be swimming in it.
In all seriousness, there is nothing else I can do.
7. adverb [v-link ADV adj-graded]
You can use all in front of an adjective when you want to emphasize a quality that affects someone or something temporarily.
[informal, spoken, emphasis]
You've gone all chatty.
He came over all dizzy when he stood up.
8. adverb
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.
9.
See all the more
10. pronoun
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]
You can't have it all - life is about choice, time is limited.
Here's a man who has seen it all, tasted and heard it all.
11.
See above all
12.
See after all
13.
See after all
14.
See and all
15.
See all in all
16.
See at all
17.
See all but
18.
See all but
19.
See for all
20.
See for all
21.
See give one's all/put one's all
22.
See in all
23.
See all in
24.
See all in
25.
See of all
26.
See of all
27.
See of all the X
28.
See all of
29.
See one and all
30.
See all that
31.
See that's all
32.
See all very well
More Synonyms of all
English Easy Learning GrammarDeterminersDeterminers are words that make the reference of nouns more specific. If I say ‘thiscar’ it is clear that I mean a particular car which is near me. If ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarIndefinite pronounsThe indefinite pronouns are used when you do not know or do not need to say preciselywho or what you are referring to. The noun phrase which they substitute ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarNoun phrases with several determinersMost noun phrases contain only one determiner or none at all, but if there are more,they follow a definite order. Determiners can be divided into four ... Read more
all-
(ɔːl-)
1. combining form [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
All- is added to nouns or adjectives in order to form adjectives which describe something as consisting only of the thing mentioned or as having only the quality indicated.
...an all-star cast.
...all-cotton sheeting.
2. combining form [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
All- is added to present participles or adjectives in order to form adjectives which describesomething as including or affecting everything or everyone.
Nursing a demented person is an all-consuming task.
...paying high taxes in return for all-embracing public services.
3. combining form [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
All- is added to nouns in order to form adjectives which describe something as being suitable for or including all types of a particular thing.
He wanted to form an all-party government of national unity.
Jeans, the all-purpose denim trousers, have been around for over a hundred years.
all in British English
(ɔːl)
determiner
1.
a.
the whole quantity or amount of; totality of; every one of a class
all the rice
all of us are mortal
b.
(as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural)
all of it is nice
all are welcome
c.
(in combination with a noun used as a modifier)
an all-ticket match
an all-amateur tournament
an all-night sitting
2.
the greatest possible
in all earnestness
3.
any whatever
to lose all hope of recovery
beyond all doubt
4. above all
5. after all
6. all along
7. all but
8. all of
9. all over
10. all in
11. all in all
12. all that
13. all the
14. all too
15. and all
16. and all that
17. as all that
18. at all
19. be all for
20. be all that
21. for all
22. for all that
23. in all
adverb
24.
(in scores of games) apiece; each
the score at half time was three all
25.
completely
all alone
26. be all …
noun
27. (preceded bymy, your, his, etc)
(one's) complete effort or interest
to give your all
you are my all
28.
totality or whole
▶ Related prefixes: , pan-, panto-
Word origin
Old English eall; related to Old High German al, Old Norse allr, Gothic alls all
all- in British English
combining form
a variant of allo-
all in American English
(ɔl)
adjective
1.
the whole extent or quantity of
all New England, all the gold
2.
the entire number of
all the men went
3.
every one of
all men must eat
4.
the greatest possible; as much as possible
said in all sincerity
5.
any; any whatever
true beyond all question
6.
every
now used only in such phrases as all manner of men
7.
alone; only
life is not all pleasure
8.
seeming to be nothing but
he was all arms and legs
9. US, Dialectal
completely used up, consumed, over with, etc.
the bread is all
pronoun
10. [with pl. v.]
everyone
all must die
11. [with pl. v.]
every one
all of us are here; all of the pencils are sharpened
12.
everything; the whole thing, matter, situation, etc.
all is over between them
13.
every part or bit
all of it is gone
noun
14.
one's whole property, effort, etc.
gave his all
15.
a totality; whole
adverb
16.
wholly; entirely; altogether; quite
all worn out, riding all through the night
17.
apiece
a score of thirty all
Idioms:
after all
all but
all in
all in all
all out
all over
all the
all the better (or worse)
all the farther (or closer, etc.)
all the same
and all
as all get-out
at all
for all
in all
Word origin
ME al, all < OE eal < IE *al-no-s < base *al-, *ol-, beyond, exceeding > L ultra
all- in American English
(ɔl)
1.
wholly, entirely, or exclusively
all-American
2.
for every
all-purpose
3.
of everything or every part
all-inclusive
4.
lasting throughout (a specified period)
all-night
5. Sport
selected as the best of (a specified category)
all-league, all-conference, all-pro
Word origin
(sense 5) all-American
Examples of 'all' in a sentence
all
The courtyard stayed packed with a few hundred people salsa dancing all night.
The Sun (2016)
We all want to get something big and we are working for it.
The Sun (2016)
Tell me my mum and dad are going to be all right.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This all seems incredibly frivolous and sounds suspiciously like a waste of time.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He claims he uses all his products.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Who said all political careers end in failure?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When you see scenes like that at the end it makes it all worthwhile.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
We try to give all the best to our players but sometimes it is difficult.
The Sun (2016)
The current economic crisis gives us all an opportunity to rethink our priorities.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The thin plastic bottles are used by almost all drinks manufacturers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The only way to escape it completely is to live in the desert all alone.
Christianity Today (2000)
We all want to know that the tests are to the same standard.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When you have this list you may already have a spot it could all possibly go.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
With hindsight it all seemed more vengeful than petulant.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Which technology series uses all nine letters?
The Sun (2014)
Yet some people still insist all political careers end in failure.
The Sun (2016)
Says we all need to make time to smell the roses.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Why the hell play it then when all these people have extra time drinking.
The Sun (2013)
All four also demand damages for a decrease in the value of their properties.
The Sun (2012)
Within no time at all he was panting and sweating.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Yet they all seem cheery about their arrangements.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We are all going in our own directions and all do completely different things.
The Sun (2009)
We all know that and are aware of it.
The Sun (2010)
We shall all have to put our shoulder to the wheel.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They cannot be altogether surprised if people now lump them all together in impotent fury.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
What she had said about hoping that he would not come was all hypocrisy.
William Thackeray Vanity Fair (1837)
Wonder if my change is all right.
Judith Flanders Consuming Passions: Leisure and Pleasure in Victorian Britain (2006)
We all have this great power of belief in us.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001)
He made all here last time and could get an easy lead again.
The Sun (2011)
Would you like to turn all bitter and sour foods into delicious desserts?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I'm asking for a bit more time, that's all- ' `He won't see it that way.
St. James, Ian FINAL RESORT
I'm a Catholic, went to Catholic schools and all- " "You mean you were a Catholic," August said.
Elmore Leonard TOUCH (1987)
In other languages
all
British English: all /ɔːl/ DETERMINER
You use all to talk about everything, everyone, or the whole of something.
Did you eat all of it?
American English: all
Arabic: جَمِيع
Brazilian Portuguese: todo
Chinese: 所有的
Croatian: sav
Czech: veškerý
Danish: alle
Dutch: alle
European Spanish: todo
Finnish: kaikki
French: tout
German: alle
Greek: όλος
Italian: tutto
Japanese: できるかぎりの
Korean: 모든
Norwegian: all
Polish: wszelki
European Portuguese: tudo
Romanian: tot
Russian: весь
Latin American Spanish: todo
Swedish: all hela
Thai: ทั้งหมด
Turkish: bütün hepsi
Ukrainian: все
Vietnamese: toàn bộ
British English: all /ɔːl/ PRONOUN
You use all to talk about everything, everyone, or the whole of something.
We make our own hair-care products, all based on herbal recipes.
American English: all
Arabic: كُلّ
Brazilian Portuguese: todos
Chinese: 大家
Croatian: svi
Czech: všechno
Danish: alle
Dutch: allemaal
European Spanish: todo
Finnish: kaikki
French: tout
German: alles
Greek: όλος
Italian: tutti
Japanese: 全部
Korean: 모두
Norwegian: fullstendig
Polish: wszystko
European Portuguese: todos
Romanian: tot
Russian: все
Latin American Spanish: todo
Swedish: all
Thai: ทุกคน
Turkish: hepsi
Ukrainian: всі
Vietnamese: tất cả
All related terms of 'all'
allo-
indicating difference , variation , or opposition
y'all
all of you
all in
If you say that you are all in , you mean that you are extremely tired.
all of
You use all of before a number to emphasize how small or large an amount is.
at all
You use at all at the end of a clause to give emphasis in negative statements , conditional clauses, and questions .
ex all
without the right to any benefits
in all
In all means in total .
of all
You use of all to emphasize the words 'first' or ' last ', or a superlative adjective or adverb .
all but
All but a particular person or thing means everyone or everything except that person or thing.
all-day
available throughout the day
all for
If you say that you are all for doing something, you agree or strongly believe that it should be done , but you are also often suggesting that other people disagree with you or that there are practical difficulties .
all one
all the same
all out
You use all-out to describe actions that are carried out in a very energetic and determined way, using all the resources available .
all set
prepared ; ready
all the
so much (more or less) than otherwise
all too
definitely but regrettably
all wet
wrong; mistaken
and all
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 .
end-all
→ short for be-all and end-all
for all
You use for all to indicate that the thing mentioned does not affect or contradict the truth of what you are saying .
sod all
Sod all means 'nothing at all'.
you-all
a US, esp Southern , word for you, used esp when addressing more than one person
above all
You say above all to indicate that the thing you are mentioning is the most important point.
after all
You use after all when introducing a statement which supports or helps explain something you have just said .
all along
If something has been true or been present all along , it has been true or been present throughout a period of time.
all clear
The all clear is a signal that a dangerous situation , for example an air raid, has ended.
all-dayer
an entertainment , such as a pop concert or film screening, that lasts all day
all ears
If someone says that they are all ears , they mean that they are ready and eager to listen.
all eyes
acutely vigilant or observant
all-fired
excessive; extreme
all found
with everything provided, such as food, electricity , heating and laundry , at no additional cost
all fours
both the arms and legs of a person or all the legs of a quadruped (esp in the phrase on all fours )
all hail
an archaic greeting or salutation
all-night
open , available or operating throughout the night
all over
All over a place means in every part of it.
all-party
composed of or involving members of all of the political parties of a country
all right
If you say that someone or something is all right , you mean that you find them satisfactory or acceptable.
all-round
An all-round person is good at a lot of different skills , academic subjects , or sports.
all-sorts
All sorts of things or people means a large number of different things or people.
all-star
An all-star cast , performance , or game is one which contains only famous or extremely good performers or players.
all that
You use all that in statements with negative meaning when you want to weaken the force of what you are saying .
all there
having his or her wits about him or her; of normal intelligence
all-time
You use all-time when you are comparing all the things of a particular type that there have ever been. For example , if you say that something is the all-time best , you mean that it is the best thing of its type that there has ever been.
all told
You can use all told to introduce or follow a summary , general statement, or total .
be all …
used for emphasis when introducing direct speech or nonverbal communication
catch-all
A catch-all is a term or category which includes many different things.
cure-all
A cure-all is something that is believed, usually wrongly, to be able to solve all the problems someone or something has, or to cure a wide range of illnesses .
damn all
absolutely nothing
fuck-all
Fuck all is used to mean 'nothing at all'.
heal-all
a low-growing European herbaceous plant, Prunella vulgaris, with tightly clustered violet-blue flowers and reputedly having healing powers: family Lamiaceae ( labiates )
Chinese translation of 'all'
all
(ɔːl)
adj
所有的 (suǒyǒu de)
all day/night整日/夜 (zhěngrì/yè)
all big cities所有的大城市 (suǒyǒu de dàchéngshì)
all five books所有的5本书(書) (suǒyǒu de wǔ běn shū)
all the time/his life始终(終)/他的整个(個)一生 (shǐzhōng/tāde zhěnggè yīshēng)
all the books所有的书(書) (suǒyǒu de shū)
pron
全部 (quánbù)
it's all settled全都安顿(頓)好了 (quán dōu āndùn hǎo le)
all I could do was apologize我所能做的全部就是道歉 (wǒ suǒ néng zuò de quánbù jiùshì dàoqiàn)
all that remains is to ... 所有剩下的就是要 ... (suǒyǒu shèngxià de jiùshì yào ... )
I ate it all, I ate all of it我把它全都吃了 (wǒ bǎ tā quán dōu chī le)
have you got it all?你全都有了吗(嗎)？ (nǐ quán dōu yǒule ma?)
all of us我们(們)中的所有人 (wǒmen zhōng de suǒyǒu rén)
all of the time每时(時)每刻 (měi shí měi kè)
all of the boys所有的男孩子 (suǒyǒu de nánháizi)
we all sat down我们(們)都坐下了 (wǒmen dōu zuòxià le)
is that all? (= anything else?) 那就是全部吗(嗎)？ (nà jiùshì quánbù ma?) (in shop) 就这(這)些吗(嗎)？ (jiù zhèxiē ma?) (= not more expensive?) 就这(這)个(個)价(價)吗(嗎)？ (jiù zhège jià ma?)
(in expressions)
after all (= considering) 毕(畢)竟 (bìjìng) (= regardless) 终(終)究 (zhōngjiū)
all but the strongest/smallest etc (= all except for) 只有最强(強)壮(壯)的/最小的等 (zhǐyǒu zuì qiángzhuàng de/zuì xiǎo de děng)
to have seen/done it all全都看了/做了 (quán dōu kàn le/zuò le)