- All
- All All, a. [OE. al, pl. alle, AS. eal, pl. ealle,
Northumbrian alle, akin to D. & OHG. al, Ger. all, Icel.
allr. Dan. al, Sw. all, Goth. alls; and perh. to Ir. and
Gael. uile, W. oll.]
1. The whole quantity, extent, duration, amount, quality, or
degree of; the whole; the whole number of; any whatever;
every; as, all the wheat; all the land; all the year; all
the strength; all happiness; all abundance; loss of all
power; beyond all doubt; you will see us all (or all of
us).
[1913 Webster]
Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. --1 Thess. v. 21. [1913 Webster]
2. Any. [Obs.] ``Without all remedy.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Note: When the definite article ``the,'' or a possessive or a demonstrative pronoun, is joined to the noun that all qualifies, all precedes the article or the pronoun; as, all the cattle; all my labor; all his wealth; all our families; all your citizens; all their property; all other joys. [1913 Webster]
Note: This word, not only in popular language, but in the Scriptures, often signifies, indefinitely, a large portion or number, or a great part. Thus, all the cattle in Egypt died, all Judea and all the region round about Jordan, all men held John as a prophet, are not to be understood in a literal sense, but as including a large part, or very great numbers. [1913 Webster]
3. Only; alone; nothing but. [1913 Webster]
I was born to speak all mirth and no matter. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
{All the whole}, the whole (emphatically). [Obs.] ``All the whole army.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.