Definition: all

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

all
     adj 1: quantifier; used with either mass or count nouns to indicate
            the whole number or amount of or every one of a class;
            "we sat up all night"; "ate all the food"; "all men
            are mortal"; "all parties are welcome" [syn: all,
             all of] [ant: some, no]
     2: completely given to or absorbed by; "became all attention"
     adv : to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent; "he
           was wholly convinced"; "entirely satisfied with the
           meal"; "it was completely different from what we
           expected"; "was completely at fault"; "a totally new
           situation"; "the directions were all wrong"; "It was
           not altogether her fault"; "an altogether new
           approach"; (`whole' is often used informally for
           `wholly' as in "a whole new idea") [syn: wholly, entirely,
            completely, totally, altogether, whole] [ant:
           partly]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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).

            Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. --1
                                                  Thess. v. 21.

   2. Any. [Obs.] ``Without all remedy.'' --Shak.

   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.

   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.

   3. Only; alone; nothing but.

            I was born to speak all mirth and no matter. --Shak.

   All the whole, the whole (emphatically). [Obs.] ``All the
      whole army.'' --Shak.
All \All\, adv.
   1. Wholly; completely; altogether; entirely; quite; very; as,
      all bedewed; my friend is all for amusement. ``And cheeks
      all pale.'' --Byron.
All \All\, conj. [Orig. all, adv., wholly: used with though or
   if, which being dropped before the subjunctive left all as if
   in the sense although.]
   Although; albeit. [Obs.]

         All they were wondrous loth.             --Spenser.
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.

         Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all.
                                                  --Shak.

         All that thou seest is mine.             --Gen. xxxi.
                                                  43.

   Note: All is used with of, like a partitive; as, all of a
         thing, all of us.

   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.

            Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee, Forever.
                                                  --Milton.

            Trust me not at all, or all in all.   --Tennyson.

   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.

   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.