all are not friends who speak one fair
Not everyone who appears friendly is a true friend
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all are not thieves that dogs bark at
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
all at once
Happening or done simultaneously
all bark and no bite
Someone who threatens but does not act
all bedlam breaks loose
Complete chaos erupts
all but
Very nearly or almost entirely
all cats love fish but hate to get their paws wet
People often desire benefits without taking risks or making efforts.
All colours will agree in the dark. (Francis Bacon)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
all day
In total.
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Feeling prepared or eager but lacking an opportunity to act
all duck or no dinner
a situation where one must commit fully to succeed
all ends up
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
All experience is an arch, to build upon. (Henry Adams)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
all eyes
The center of attention
all eyes and ears
Completely attentive and observant
All Fours
A game of cards ; so called from the four points that are at stake, viz. High, Low, Jack, and Game.
all fur and no knickers
Attractive appearance but lacking substance
all fur coat and no knickers
Someone who appears wealthy or glamorous but lacks substance or real value
all good
Everything is fine or satisfactory
all good things come to him who waits
Patience and waiting will ultimately lead to success or reward.
all good things must come to an end
Everything enjoyable or desirable will eventually stop or finish
All Greek to me
Quite unintelligible; an unknown tongue or language. Casca says, "For mine own part, it was all Greek to me." (Julius Ctesar, 1, 2.
all hands
The nautical term for the whole of the crew.
all hands on deck
Everyone is needed to help with a difficult situation
all hat and no cattle
Someone who talks big but has no substance or resources
all hat and no cowboy
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
all he touches turns to gold
All his ventures succeed; he is invariably fortunate. The allusion is to the legend of Midas (#.v.).
all heart
Having a kind and generous nature
all hell breaks loose
Complete chaos erupts
all holiday
completely wrong or mistaken
all hollow
Completely without substance or meaning
all in the family
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
all is fair in love and war
Any actions are justified in extreme circumstances
all is fair in love and war. (17th century)
Any actions are justified in extreme circumstances
all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds
Everything will work out for the best
all is grist that comes to the mill
Everything that happens can be used to one's advantage
all is not lost that is in danger
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
all is well that ends well
A successful outcome justifies the methods used to achieve it
all is well that ends well. (14th century)
A successful outcome justifies the efforts or difficulties that came before it
all it's cracked up to be
Not as good as expected
all kidding aside
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
all mouth and no trousers
Someone who talks a lot but does little
all mouth and trousers
Someone who talks a lot but does little
all my eye
A remark of incredulity made in reference to an improbable story; condensation of "ALL MY EYE AND BETTY MARTIN," a vulgar phrase constructed from the commencement of a Roman Catholic prayer to St. Martin, "Oh, mihi, beate Martine," which in common with many another fell into discredit and ridicule after the Reformation.
All my eye and Betty Martin
All nonsense, bosh, rubbish. The origin of this curious phrase cannot now be discovered. The Betty Martin is a later addition; "All my eye" is the old saying, as Goldsmith makes the Bailiff say in the Good-natured Man (iii) : "That's all my eye, the king only can pardon, as the law says." In his Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785), Grose gives: "That's my eye, Betty Martin.
all nations
A composition of all the different spirits sold in a dram-shop, collected in a vessel into which the drainings of the bottles and quartern pots are emptied.
all night
for the entire night
all of a heap
Completely disorganized or confused
all of a hugh!
All on one side; falling with a thump; the word HUGH being pronounced with a grunt.—Suffolk.
all one's born days
for as long as one has lived
all one's life's worth
something that is very valuable or important
all one's taste is in one's mouth
Someone's priorities or values are misguided
all or nothing
completely or not at all
all out
using all available resources or effort
all out
By far;—"he was ALL OUT the best of the lot." Old—frequently used by Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy.
all over
everywhere or in all parts
all over bar the shouting
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
all over but the shouting
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
all over hell's half acre
Scattered or dispersed over a large area
all over oneself
Extremely eager or enthusiastic, often in a way that is embarrassing or excessive
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