the whole of (used in referring to quantity, extent, or duration):
all the cake; all the way; all year.
the whole number of (used in referring to individuals or particulars, taken collectively):
the greatest possible (used in referring to quality or degree):
with all due respect; with all speed.
all kinds; all sorts.
any; any whatever:
beyond all doubt.
nothing but; only:
The coat is all wool.
dominated by or as if by the conspicuous possession or use of a particular feature:
The colt was all legs. They were all ears, listening attentively to everything she said.
Chiefly Pennsylvania German. all gone; consumed; finished:
The pie is all.
the whole quantity or amount:
He ate all of the peanuts. All are gone.
the whole number; every one:
all of us.
Is that all you want to say? All is lost.
one’s whole interest, energy, or property:
to give one’s all; to lose one’s all.
(often initial capital letter) the entire universe.
wholly; entirely; completely:
He spent his income all on pleasure.
The score was one all.
Archaic. even; just.
above all, before everything else; chiefly:
Above all, the little girl wanted a piano.
after all, in spite of the circumstances; notwithstanding:
He came in time after all.
all at once. (def 9).
all but, almost; very nearly:
These batteries are all but dead.
all in, Northern and Western U.S. very tired; exhausted:
We were all in at the end of the day.
all in all,
all in hand, Printing, Journalism. (of the copy for typesetting a particular article, book, issue, etc.) in the possession of the compositor.
all in the wind, Nautical. too close to the wind.
all out, with all available means or effort:
We went all out to win the war.
all standing, Nautical.
all that, remarkably; entirely; decidedly (used in negative constructions):
It’s not all that different from your other house.
all the better, more advantageous; so much the better:
If the sun shines it will be all the better for our trip.
all there, Informal. mentally competent; not insane or feeble-minded:
Some of his farfetched ideas made us suspect that he wasn’t all there.
all the same. (def 9).
all told. (def 2).
and all, together with every other associated or connected attribute, object, or circumstance:
What with the snow and all, we may be a little late.
for all (that), in spite of; notwithstanding:
For all that, it was a good year.
in all, all included; all together:
a hundred guests in all.
once and for all, for the last time; finally:
The case was settled once and for all when the appeal was denied.
at one time in the past; formerly:
I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation.
a single time:
We ate there just once. We go to a movie once a week.
even a single time; at any time; ever:
If the facts once become known, it will be just too bad.
by a single step, degree, or grade:
a cousin once removed.
former; having at one time been:
the once and future king.
if or when at any time; if ever.
whenever; as soon as:
Once you’re finished, you can leave.
a single occasion; one time only:
Once is enough.
all at once,
once and again, repeatedly:
He has been told once and again not to slam the door.
once and for all, decisively; finally:
Let’s settle this problem once and for all.
Also, once for all.
once in a while, at intervals; occasionally:
She stops in to see us once in a while.
once or twice, a very few times; infrequently:
I’ve seen her in the elevator once or twice.
once upon a time, at some unspecified past time, especially a long time ago:
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a prince and princess.
the greatest possible: in all earnestness
any whatever: to lose all hope of recovery, beyond all doubt
above all, most of all; especially
after all, See after (sense 11)
all along, all the time
all but, almost; nearly: all but dead
all of, no less or smaller than: she’s all of thirteen years
See all in
all in all
(usually used with a negative) (informal) all that, that, (intensifier): she’s not all that intelligent
(foll by a comparative adjective or adverb) all the, so much (more or less) than otherwise: we must work all the faster now
all too, definitely but regrettably: it’s all too true
(informal) and all that
as all that, as one might expect or hope: she’s not as pretty as all that, but she has personality
(informal) be all for, to be strongly in favour of
(informal, mainly US) be all that, to be exceptionally good, talented, or attractive
for all that, in spite of that: he was a nice man for all that
in all, altogether: there were five of them in all
(in scores of games) apiece; each: the score at half time was three all
completely: all alone
(informal) be all …, used for emphasis when introducing direct speech or nonverbal communication: he was all, ‘I’m not doing that’
preceded by my, your, his, etc. (one’s) complete effort or interest: to give your all, you are my all
totality or whole
one time; on one occasion or in one case
at some past time; formerly: I could speak French once
by one step or degree (of relationship): a cousin once removed
(in conditional clauses, negatives, etc) ever; at all: if you once forget it
multiplied by one
once and away
once and for all, conclusively; for the last time
once in a while, occasionally; now and then
once or twice, once and again, a few times
once upon a time, used to begin fairy tales and children’s stories
(subordinating) as soon as; if ever or whenever: once you begin, you’ll enjoy it
one occasion or case: you may do it, this once
all at once
for once, this time, if (or but) at no other time
c.1200, anes, from ane “one” (see one ) + adverbial genitive. Replaced Old English æne. Spelling changed as pronunciation shifted from two syllables to one after c.1300. Pronunciation change to “wuns” parallels that of one. As an emphatic, meaning “once and for all,” it is attested from c.1300, but this now is regarded as a Pennsylvania German dialect formation. Meaning “in a past time” (but not necessarily just one time) is from mid-13c.
Once upon a time as the beginning of a story is recorded from 1590s. At once originally (early 13c.) meant “simultaneously,” later “in one company” (c.1300), and preserved the sense of “one” in the word; the phrase typically appeared as one word, atones; the modern meaning “immediately” is attested from 1530s.
Old English eall “all, every, entire,” from Proto-Germanic *alnaz (cf. Old Frisian, Old High German al, Old Norse allr, Gothic alls), with no certain connection outside Germanic.
Combinations with all meaning “wholly, without limit” were common in Old English (e.g. eall-halig “all-holy,” eall-mihtig “all-mighty”) and the method continued to form new compound words throughout the history of English. First record of all out “to one’s full powers” is 1880. All-terrain vehicle first recorded 1968. All clear as a signal of “no danger” is recorded from 1902. All right, indicative of approval, is attested from 1953.
acute lymphocytic leukemia
- Once in a blue moon
To do something “once in a blue moon” is to do it very rarely: “That company puts on a good performance only once in a blue moon.” The phrase refers to the appearance of a second full moon within a calendar month, which actually happens about every thirty-two months. adverb phrase Very rarely: Herb? I […]
[wuhns-oh-ver] /ˈwʌnsˌoʊ vər/ noun, Informal. 1. a quick look, examination, or appraisal. 2. a quick, superficial job: He gave the car just a once-over with a rag. noun (informal) 1. a quick examination or appraisal 2. a quick but comprehensive piece of work 3. a violent beating or thrashing (esp in the phrase give (a […]
[wuhns-oh-ver-lahyt-lee] /ˈwʌnsˌoʊ vərˈlaɪt li/ noun, Informal. 1. a hasty or superficial treatment, look, examination, etc.; once-over: The maid gave the room the once-over-lightly.
[wuhns] /wʌns/ adverb 1. at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation. 2. a single time: We ate there just once. We go to a movie once a week. 3. even a single time; at any time; ever: If the facts once become known, it will be […]