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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ALL, a. awl. [Gr. Shemitic from calah, to be ended or completed to perfect.]
1. Every one, or the whole number of particulars.
2. The whole quantity, extent, duration, amount, quality, or degree; as, all the wheat; all the land; all the year; all the strength. This word signifies then, the whole or entire thing, or all the parts or particulars which compose it. It always precedes the definitive adjectives, the, my, thy, his, our, your, their; as, all the cattle; all my labor; all thy goods; all his wealth; all our families; all your citizens; all their property.
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.
This word is prefixed to many other words, to enlarge their signification; as already, always, all-prevailing.
ALL, adv. Wholly; completely; entirely; as all along; all bedewed; all over; my friend is all for amusement; I love my father all. In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all so long, this word retains its appropriate sense; as,"he thought them six-pence all too dear," that is, he thought them too dear by the sum of sixpence. In the sense of although, as, "all were it as the rest," and in the sense of just, or at the moment, as "all as his straying flock he fed," it is obsolete, or restricted to poetry.
It is all one is a phrase equivalent to the same thing in effect; that is, it is wholly the same thing.
All the better is equivalent to wholly the better; that is, better by the whole difference.
ALL, n.
1. The whole number; as, all have not the same disposition; that is, all men.
2. The whole; the entire thing; the aggregate amount; as, our all is at stake.
And Laban said, all that thou seest is mine. Genesis 31.
This adjective is much used as a noun, and applied to persons or things.
All in all is a phrase which signifies, all things to a person, or every thing desired.
Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee, Forever.
When the words, and all close an enumeration of particulars, the word all is either intensive, or is added as a general term to express what is not enumerated; as a tree fell, nest, eagles and all.
At all is a phrase much used by way of enforcement or emphasis, usually in negative or interrogative sentences. He has no ambition at all; that is, not in the least degree. Has he any property at all?
All and some, in Spenser, Mason interprets, one and all. But from Lye's Saxon Dictionary, it appears that the phrase is a corruption of the Sax. ealle at somne, all together, all at once, from somne, together, at once. See Lye under Somne.
All in the wind, in seamen's language, is a phrase denoting that the sails are parallel with the course of the wind, so as to shake.
All is well is a watchman's phrase, expressing a state of safety.
All, in composition, enlarges the meaning, or adds force to a word; and it is generally more emphatical than most. In some instances, all is incorporated into words, as in almighty, already, always; but in most instances, it is an adjective prefixed to other words, but separated by a hyphen.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

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" [ant: no, some]
2: completely given to or absorbed by; "became all attention" adv
1: to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (`whole' is often used informally for `wholly'); "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"; "a whole new idea" [syn: wholly, entirely, completely, totally, all, altogether, whole] [ant: part, partially, partly]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English all, al, from Old English eall; akin to Old High German all all Date: before 12th century 1. a. the whole amount, quantity, or extent of <needed all the courage they had> <sat up all night> b. as much as possible <spoke in all seriousness> 2. every member or individual component of <all men will go> <all five children were present> 3. the whole number or sum of <all the angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles> 4. every <all manner of hardship> 5. any whatever <beyond all doubt> 6. nothing but ; only: a. completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by <became all attention> b. having or seeming to have (some physical feature) in conspicuous excess or prominence <all legs> c. paying full attention with <all ears> 7. dialect used up ; entirely consumed — used especially of food and drink 8. being more than one person or thing <who all is coming> Synonyms: see whole II. adverb Date: before 12th century 1. a. wholly, quite <sat all alone> — often used as an intensive <all out of proportion> <all over the yard> <it wasn't all that funny> b. selected as the best (as at a sport) within an area or organization — used in combination <all-league halfback> 2. obsolete only, exclusively 3. archaic just 4. so much <all the better for it> 5. for each side ; apiece <the score is two all> III. pronoun, singular or plural in construction Date: before 12th century 1. a. the whole number, quantity, or amount ; totality <all that I have> <all of us> <all of the books> b. — used in such phrases as for all I know, for all I care, and for all the good it does to indicate a lack of knowledge, interest, or effectiveness 2. everybody, everything <gave equal attention to all> <that is all> IV. noun Date: 1593 the whole of one's possessions, resources, or energy <gave his all for the cause>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., n., & adv. --adj. 1 a the whole amount, quantity, or extent of (waited all day; all his life; we all know why; take it all). b (with pl.) the entire number of (all the others left; all ten men; the children are all boys; film stars all). 2 any whatever (beyond all doubt). 3 greatest possible (with all speed). --n. 1 a all the persons or things concerned (all were present; all were thrown away). b everything (all is lost; that is all). 2 (foll. by of) a the whole of (take all of it). b every one of (all of us). c colloq. as much as (all of six feet tall). d colloq. affected by; in a state of (all of a dither). 3 one's whole strength or resources (prec. by my, your, etc.). 4 (in games) on both sides (two goals all). Usage: Widely used with of in sense 2a, b, esp. when followed by a pronoun or by a noun implying a number of persons or things, as in all of the children are here. However, use with mass nouns (as in all of the bread) is often avoided. --adv. 1 a entirely, quite (dressed all in black; all round the room; the all-important thing). b as an intensifier (a book all about ships; stop all this grumbling). 2 colloq. very (went all shy). 3 (foll. by the + compar.) a by so much; to that extent (if they go, all the better). b in the full degree to be expected (that makes it all the worse). Phrases and idioms: all along all the time (he was joking all along). all-American 1 representing the whole of (or only) America or the US. 2 truly American (all-American boy). all and sundry everyone. all-around US = all-round. All Blacks colloq. the New Zealand international Rugby Union football team. all but very nearly (it was all but impossible; he was all but drowned). all-clear a signal that danger or difficulty is over. All Fools' Day 1 April. all for colloq. strongly in favour of. All Hallows see HALLOW. all-important crucial; vitally important. all in colloq. exhausted. all-in (attrib.) inclusive of all. all in all everything considered. all-in wrestling wrestling with few or no restrictions. all manner of see MANNER. all of a sudden see SUDDEN. all one (or the same) (usu. foll. by to) a matter of indifference (it's all one to me). all out involving all one's strength; at full speed (also (with hyphen) attrib. : an all-out effort). all over 1 completely finished. 2 in or on all parts of (esp. the body) (went hot and cold all over; mud all over the carpet). 3 colloq. typically (that is you all over). 4 sl. effusively attentive to (a person). all-purpose suitable for many uses. all right (predic.) ) 1 satisfactory; safe and sound; in good condition. 2 satisfactorily, as desired (it worked out all right). 3 a an interjection expressing consent or assent to a proposal or order. b as an intensifier (that's the one all right). all-right attrib.adj. colloq. fine, acceptable (an all-right guy). all round 1 in all respects (a good performance all round). 2 for each person (he bought drinks all round). all-round (attrib.) (of a person) versatile. all-rounder Brit. a versatile person. All Saints' Day 1 Nov. all the same nevertheless, in spite of this (he was innocent but was punished all the same). all set colloq. ready to start. All Souls' Day 2 Nov. all there colloq. mentally alert. all-time (of a record etc.) hitherto unsurpassed. all the time see TIME. all together all at once; all in one place or in a group (they came all together) ( cf. ALTOGETHER). all told in all. all-up weight the total weight of an aircraft with passengers, cargo, etc., when airborne. all very well colloq. an expression used to reject or to imply scepticism about a favourable or consoling remark. all the way the whole distance; completely. at all (with neg. or interrog.) in any way; to any extent (did not swim at all; did you like it at all?). be all up with see UP. in all in total number; altogether (there were 10 people in all). on all fours see FOUR. one and all everyone. Etymology: OE all, eall, prob. f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

All All, adv. 1. Wholly; completely; altogether; entirely; quite; very; as, all bedewed; my friend is all for amusement. ``And cheeks all pale.'' --Byron.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. 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 particular kind. ...the restaurant that Hugh and all his friends go to... He lost all his money at a blackjack table in Las Vegas. PREDET: PREDET det pl-n/n-uncount • All is also a determiner. There is built-in storage space in all bedrooms... 85 percent of all American households owe money on mortgages... He was passionate about all literature. DET: DET pl-n/n-uncount • 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. QUANT: QUANT of def-pl-n/def-n-uncount • 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. PRON • All is also an emphasizing pronoun. Milk, oily fish and egg all contain vitamin D... We all admire professionalism and dedication. PRON: n PRON v 2. 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. DET: DET sing-n • All is also a predeterminer. She's worked all her life... He was looking at me all the time. PREDET: PREDET det sing-n • 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. QUANT: QUANT of def-n 3. 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. PRON 4. You use all to emphasize that something is completely true, or happens everywhere or always, or on every occasion. 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... ADV: ADV prep/adv [emphasis] 5. You use all at the beginning of a clause when you are emphasizing that something is the only thing that is important. 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'. PRON [emphasis] 6. 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. In all fairness he had to admit that she was neither dishonest nor lazy... DET: in DET n-uncount [emphasis] 7. 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. ADV: amount ADV 8. All is used in structures such as all the more or all the better to mean even more or even better than before. The living room is decorated in pale colours that make it all the more airy... ADV: ADV the adv/adj-compar 9. 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. ...women who have it all: career, husband and children... Here's a man who has seen it all, tasted and heard it all. PRON [emphasis] 10. You say above all to indicate that the thing you are mentioning is the most important point. Above all, chairs should be comfortable... PHRASE: PHR with cl/group [emphasis] 11. You use after all when introducing a statement which supports or helps explain something you have just said. I thought you might know somebody. After all, you're the man with connections. PHRASE: PHR with cl 12. You use after all when you are saying that something that you thought might not be the case is in fact the case. I came out here on the chance of finding you at home after all... PHRASE 13. 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. He dropped his sausage on the pavement and someone's dog ate it, mustard and all. PHRASE: n PHR [emphasis] 14. You use all in all to introduce a summary or general statement. We both thought that all in all it might not be a bad idea... PHRASE: PHR with cl 15. You use at all at the end of a clause to give emphasis in negative statements, conditional clauses, and questions. Robin never really liked him at all... PHRASE [emphasis] 16. All but a particular person or thing means everyone or everything except that person or thing. The general was an unattractive man to all but his most ardent admirers... PHRASE: PHR n 17. You use all but to say that something is almost the case. The concrete wall that used to divide this city has now all but gone... PHRASE: PHR -ed 18. You use for all to indicate that the thing mentioned does not affect or contradict the truth of what you are saying. For all its faults, the film instantly became a classic. = despite PHRASE: PHR n 19. You use for all in phrases such as for all I know, and for all he cares, to emphasize that you do not know something or that someone does not care about something. For all we know, he may even not be in this country... You can go right now for all I care. PHRASE: PHR with cl [emphasis] 20. If you give your all or put your all into something, you make the maximum effort possible. He puts his all into every game. PHRASE: V inflects 21. In all means in total. There was evidence that thirteen people in all had taken part in planning the murder. PHRASE: PHR with cl, amount PHR 22. If something such as an activity is a particular price all in, that price includes everything that is offered. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL) Dinner is about £25 all in. PHRASE: amount PHR, PHR with cl 23. You use of all to emphasize the words 'first' or 'last', or a superlative adjective or adverb. First of all, answer these questions... Now she faces her toughest task of all. PHRASE: PHR with superl [emphasis] 24. You use of all in expressions such as of all people or of all things when you want to emphasize someone or something surprising. They met and fell in love in a supermarket, of all places. PHRASE: PHR n [emphasis] 25. You use all in expressions like of all the cheek or of all the luck to emphasize how angry or surprised you are at what someone else has done or said. Of all the lazy, indifferent, unbusinesslike attitudes to have! PHRASE [feelings] 26. You use all of before a number to emphasize how small or large an amount is. It took him all of 41 minutes to score his first goal... PHRASE: PHR amount [emphasis] 27. You use all that in statements with negative meaning when you want to weaken the force of what you are saying. (SPOKEN) He wasn't all that older than we were... PHRASE: PHR with brd-neg, PHR adj/adv [vagueness] 28. You can say that's all at the end of a sentence when you are explaining something and want to emphasize that nothing more happens or is the case. 'Why do you want to know that?' he demanded.—'Just curious, that's all.'... PHRASE: cl PHR 29. You use all very well to suggest that you do not really approve of something or you think that it is unreasonable. It is all very well to urge people to give more to charity when they have less, but is it really fair? PHRASE: v-link PHR [disapproval]

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

(5) All to, "All to brake his skull" (Jud 9:53 the King James Version) an obsolete form signifying "altogether"; "broke his skull in pieces."

(6) Often used indefinitely of a large number or a great part, "All the cattle of Egypt died" (Ex 9:6; compare Ex 9:19,25); "all Judea, and all the region round about" (Mt 3:5); "that all the world should be enrolled" (Lu 2:1); "all Asia and the world" (Ac 19:27); "All (people) verily held John to be a prophet" (Mr 11:32).

M. O. Evans

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. The whole of, every one of, every part of. II. ad. Altogether, entirely, totally, completely, wholly, quite. III. n. Whole, total, totality, aggregate, everything.

Moby Thesaurus

A to Z, A to izzard, Copernican universe, Einsteinian universe, Newtonian universe, Ptolemaic universe, acme, across the board, aggregate, all and some, all and sundry, all being, all creation, all hands, all in all, all put together, all the world, all-embracing, all-inclusive, allness, alpha and omega, altogether, any, apogee, as a body, as a whole, aside, assemblage, at large, be-all, be-all and end-all, beginning and end, bodily, ceiling, climax, collectively, complement, complete, comprehensive, corporately, cosmos, created nature, created universe, creation, crown, each, each and all, each and every, each one, en bloc, en masse, end, entire, entirely, entirety, every, every man Jack, every one, everybody, everyman, everyone, everything, everything that is, exactly, exhaustive, expanding universe, extreme, extremity, full, gross, highest degree, holistic, in a body, in all, in all respects, in bulk, in its entirety, in the aggregate, in the gross, in the lump, in the mass, in toto, inclusive, integral, integrated, just, length and breadth, limit, macrocosm, macrocosmos, maximum, megacosm, metagalaxy, nature, ne plus ultra, nth degree, omneity, omnibus, on all counts, one, one and all, one and indivisible, outright, package, package deal, peak, per, per capita, pinnacle, plenary, plenum, pulsating universe, purely, quite, set, sidereal universe, steady-state universe, stick, sum, sum of things, sum total, summit, system, the corpus, the ensemble, the entirety, the lot, the whole, the whole range, top, total, totality, totality of being, totally, tote, tout ensemble, tout le monde, universal, universe, utmost, utmost extent, utterly, uttermost, whole, whole wide world, wholly, wide world, world, world without end