From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishallall1 /ɔːl $ ɒːl/ ●●● S1 W1 determiner, predeterminer, pronoun 1 COMPLETEthe whole of an amount, thing, or type of thing Have you done all your homework?all your life/all day/all year etc (=during the whole of your life, a day, a year etc) He had worked all his life in the mine. The boys played video games all day. They were quarrelling all the time (=very often or continuously). Hannah didn’t say a single word all the way back home (=during the whole of the journey).all of Almost all of the music was from Italian operas. I’ve heard it all before. She’d given up all hope of having a child.2 ALL/EVERYTHINGevery one of a number of people or things, or every thing or person of a particular type Someone’s taken all my books! Will all the girls please stand over here. All children should be taught to swim. Sixteen per cent of all new cars sold in Western Europe these days are diesel-engined. They all speak excellent English.all of important changes that will affect all of us3 the only thing or things All you need is a hammer and some nails. All I’m asking for is a little respect.4 formal everything I’m doing all I can to help her. I hope all is well with you. All was dark and silent down by the harbour wall.5 used to emphasize that you mean the greatest possible amount of the quality you are mentioning Can any of us say in all honesty that we did everything we could? 6 → at all7 → all sorts/kinds/types of something8 → of all people/things/places etc9 → all in all10 → for all something11 → in all12 → and all13 → all of 50p/20 minutes etc14 → it’s all or nothing15 → give your all16 → it was all I could do to do something17 → when all’s said and done18 → all sorts/kinds of wrong/crazy etc → for all somebody cares at care2(8), → for all somebody knows at know1(33), → all and sundry at sundry(1), → after all at after1(13)GRAMMAR: Patterns with all• You use all the or all of the when talking about every one of a particular group of people or things: All the students have gone home.All of the students have gone home.• You use all directly before a plural noun to mean every person or thing of a particular type: All men are created equal.All children like chocolate.USAGE: All, everyone• You say: Everyone liked the film.• You can also say: They all liked the film. ✗Don't say: All people liked the film.•You use everyone when talking about all of the members of a group of people. You can also say they all or we all when this group is the subject of the sentence. all people• You say: They want to protect the rights of all people.•You use all people when talking about every person in the world. • You can also say: All people who take part in sport should have regular check-ups.Almost all people with the disease have smoked at some time in their lives. •You use all people with a relative clause or that clause, which shows which group of people you are talking about.
Examples from the Corpus
all of• Mix it together and put all of it in the big pan.allall2 ●●● S1 W1 adverb 1 COMPLETELY[always + adj/adverb/preposition] completely You shouldn’t be sitting here by yourself, all alone. a strange woman, dressed all in black If people want more freedom of choice, then I’m all for it (=I strongly support it). ‘It was a dreadful experience.’ ‘Never mind, it’s all over (=completely finished) now.’2 → all over (something)3 → all the better/easier/more etc4 → all but5 → all too6 → all along7 → all round8 → one-all/two-all etc9 → all told10 → it’s all up (with somebody)11 → be not all there12 → be all smiles/innocence/sweetness etc13 → be all over somebodySPOKEN PHRASES14 very You’re getting me all confused.15 → that’s somebody all over16 → be all in17 → somebody was all ...18 → not all that19 → somebody/something is not all thatExamples from the Corpus
all• Assists is what Earvin is all about.• She was all alone in the house.• Just to be all around all those people.• Look at the dog - he's all happy now!• Still, that was Miriam all over.all over• I used to travel a lot, but that's all over.• We spent a two weeks in Mexico and traveled all over.• Be either late or absent and the thirty-day clock begins all over again.• Since the shop opened in 1989, it has received over 200,000 visitors from all over Britain and overseas.• She had flour and stuff all over her hands.• There are leaves all over the car.• The choir has sung in concerts all over the country.• Katie's toys were spread out all over the floor.• There was a sound of stir all over the house, pattering of feet in the corridors.• He went all over the place looking for a shop selling corkscrews but couldn't find one.• By this time there were medical people all over the place, many of them without a purpose, it seemed.• There was broken glass all over the road.• People from all over the world come to visit Disneyland.• He can lick himself all over too, but we won't go there.• The works themselves were submitted by teachers all over town, and include two-and three-dimensional pieces.• Then it was all over, when Smith was bowled over by Cork.• Excuse me, they might say, you have death all over your face, it could be serious.all-all- /ɔːl $ ɒːl/ prefix 1 XXconsisting of or made of only one kind of thing an all-male club an all-wool coat2 → all-day/all-nightExamples from the Corpus
all-• an all-girl school• an all-night cafe• an all-night party• an all-wool dress 