- At all
- All All, n.
The whole number, quantity, or amount; the entire thing;
everything included or concerned; the aggregate; the whole;
totality; everything or every person; as, our all is at
stake.
[1913 Webster]
Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
All that thou seest is mine. --Gen. xxxi. 43. [1913 Webster]
Note: All is used with of, like a partitive; as, all of a thing, all of us. [1913 Webster]
{After all}, after considering everything to the contrary; nevertheless.
{All in all}, a phrase which signifies all things to a person, or everything desired; (also adverbially) wholly; altogether. [1913 Webster]
Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee, Forever. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Trust me not at all, or all in all. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]
{All in the wind} (Naut.), a phrase denoting that the sails are parallel with the course of the wind, so as to shake.
{All told}, all counted; in all.
{And all}, and the rest; and everything connected. ``Bring our crown and all.'' --Shak.
{At all}. (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. ``If thy father at all miss me.'' --1 Sam. xx. 6.
{Over all}, everywhere. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
Note: All is much used in composition to enlarge the meaning, or add force to a word. In some instances, it is completely incorporated into words, and its final consonant is dropped, as in almighty, already, always: but, in most instances, it is an adverb prefixed to adjectives or participles, but usually with a hyphen, as, all-bountiful, all-glorious, allimportant, all-surrounding, etc. In others it is an adjective; as, allpower, all-giver. Anciently many words, as, alabout, alaground, etc., were compounded with all, which are now written separately. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.