lived at home all the while./ •/Most of us were surprised to hear that Maryand Tom had been engaged all year, but Sue said she knew it all the time./ 2.Without stopping; continuously •/Most traffic lights work all the time./ 3.Very often; many times. •/Ruth talks about her trip to Europe all the time,and her friends are tired of it./
[all the way] or [the whole way]{adv. phr.} 1. From start tofinish during the whole distance or time. •/Jack climbed all the way to thetop of the tree./ •/Joe has played the whole way in the football game andit’s almost over./ 2. In complete agreement; with complete willingness tosatisfy. — Often used in the phrase "go all the way with". •/I go all theway with what George says about Bill./ •/Mary said she was willing to kissBill, but that did not mean she was willing to go all the way with him./•/The bank was willing to lend Mr. Jones money to enlarge his factory but itwasn 't willing to go all the way with his plans to build another in the nexttown./ Compare: ALL OUT, GO THE WHOLE HOG.
[all the worse] See: ALL THE 2.
[all thumbs]{adj.}, {informal} Awkward, especially with yourhands; clumsy. •/Harry tried to fix the chair but he was all thumbs./
[all told]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Counting or includingeverything. •/Including candy sale profits we have collected $300 alltold./
[all to the good] See: TO THE GOOD.
[all up]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Near to certain death or defeatwithout any more chance or hope. •/With their ammunition gone the patrol knewthat it was all up with them./
[all very well]{adj.} All right; very good and correct; very true. — Usually followed by a "but" clause. •/It’s all very well for you to complainbut can you do any better?/ •/It’s all very well if Jane comes with us, buthow will she get back home?/ Compare: WELL AND GOOD.
[all walks of life]{n. phr.} All socioeconomic groups; all professionsand lines of work. •/A good teacher has to be able to communicate withstudents from all walks of life./ •/A clever politician doesn’t alienatepeople from any walk of life./
[all wet]{adj.}, {slang} Entirely confused or wrong; mistaken.•/When the Wright brothers said they could build a flying machine, peoplethought they were all wet./ •/If you think I like baseball, you’re allwet./ Compare: OFF ONE’S ROCKER.
[all wool and a yard wide]{adj. phr.} Of fine character; especially,very generous and kind-hearted. •/He’s a wonderful brother — all wool and ayard wide./
[all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy] Too much hard work withouttime out for play or enjoyment is not good for anyone. — A proverb. •/Bill’smother told him to stop studying and to go out and play, because all work andno play makes Jack a dull boy./
[all year round]{adv. phr.} Always; all the time; throughout allseasons of the year. •/In California the sun shines all year round./
[alone] See: LET ALONE or LEAVE ALONE, LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE or LEAVE WELLENOUGH ALONE.
[along] See: ALL ALONG or RIGHT ALONG, COME ALONG, GET ALONG, GO ALONG, RUNALONG, STRING ALONG.
[along for the ride]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Being in a group forthe fun or the credit without doing any of the work. •/He wants no members inhis political party who are just along for the ride./
[along in years] or [on in years]{adj. phr.} Elderly; growing old.•/As Grandfather got on in years, he became quiet and thoughtful./ •/Ourdog isn 't very playful because it is getting on in years./
[alongside of]{prep.} 1. At or along the side of. •/We walkedalongside of the river./ 2. Together with. •/I played alongside of Tom onthe same team./ Compare: SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, SIDE BY SIDE. 3.{informal} Compared with or to; measured next to. •/His money doesn’tlook like much alongside of a millionaire’s./
[a lot]{n.}, {informal} A large number or amount; very many orvery much; lots. •/I learned a lot in Mr. Smith’s class./ •/A lot of ourfriends are going to the beach this summer./ — Often used like an adverb.•/Ella is a jolly girl; she laughs a lot./ •/Grandfather was very sicklast week, but he’s a lot better now./ •/You’ll have to study a lot harderif you want to pass./ — Also used as an adjective with "more", "less", and"fewer". •/There was a good crowd at the game today, but a lot more will comenext week./ — Often used with "whole" for emphasis. •/John has a whole lotof marbles./ •/Jerry is a whole lot taller than he was a year ago./Compare: GOOD DEAL, GOOD MANY, A NUMBER. Contrast: A FEW, A LITTLE.
[aloud] See: THINK ALOUD or THINK OUT LOUD.
[alpha wave]{n.} A brain wave, 8-12 cycles per second, associated witha state of relaxation and meditation and, hence, free of anxieties. •/Try toproduce some alpha waves; you will instantly feel a lot better./
[alter] See: CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES.
[always] See: GRASS is ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.
[ambulance chaser]{n.} An attorney who specializes in representingvictims of traffic accidents. By extension, a lawyer of inferior rank ortalent. •/Don’t hire Cohen; he’s just another ambulance chaser./
[American plan]{n.} A system of hotel management in which meals areincluded with the room, as opposed to the European plan that does not includemeals. •/American tourists in Europe sometimes expect that their meals willbe included, because they are used to the American plan./
[amount to]{v.} Signify; add up to. •/John’s total income didn’tamount to more than a few hundred dollars./
[a must]{n.} 1. An inevitability; a necessity. •/Visas in manyforeign countries are a must./ 2. An extremely interesting or memorableevent, such as a free concert given by an international celebrity. •/AlfredBrendel’s Beethoven master classes are open to the public and are not to bemissed; they’re a must./
[anchor] See: AT ANCHOR.
[--- and ---] 1. — And is used between repeated words to show continuationor emphasis. •/When the children saw the beautiful Christmas tree they lookedand looked./ •/Old Mr, Bryan has known Grandfather for years and years,since they were boys./ •/Billy dived to the bottom of the lake again andagain, looking for the lost watch./ •/Everyone wished the speaker wouldstop, but he talked on and on./ Compare: THROUGH AND THROUGH. 2. — When"and" is used between words with opposite meaning, it often emphasizes how muchyou mean. •/Mr. Jones worked early and late to earn enough to live./•/The parents hunted high and low for the lost child./ Compare: DAY ANDNIGHT, FROM — TO, INSIDE AND OUT.
[and all]{informal} And whatever goes with it; and all that means.•/We don’t go out much nowadays, with the new baby and all./ •/Jack’semployer provided the tools and all./
[and how!]{interj.}, {informal} Yes, that is certainly right! — Used for emphatic agreement. •/"Did you see the game?" "And how!"/•/"Isn’t Mary pretty?" "And how she is!"/ Syn.: YOU BET, YOU SAID IT.Compare: BUT GOOD.
[and so forth] or [and so on] And more of the same kind; and furtheramounts or things like the ones already mentioned. •/The costumes were red,pink, blue, purple, yellow, and so forth./ Compare: WHAT HAVE YOU.
[and the like]{n. phr.} Things of a similar nature. •/I likeMcDonald’s, Wendy’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and the like./ •/When I go outto the beach flake towels, a mat, suntan lotion, and the like./
[and then some] And a lot more; and more too. •/It would cost all themoney he had and then some./ •/Talking his way out of this trouble wasgoing to take all his wits and then some./
[and what not] See: WHAT NOT.
[angel dust]{n.}, {slang} Phencyclidine, an addictivehallucinatory narcotic drug extremely dangerous to the users' health, alsocalled PCP. •/Mike has gone from grass to angel dust; he will end up in themorgue./
[another] See: DANCE TO ANOTHER TUNE.
[answer back] See: TALK BACK.
[answer for]{v.} 1. To take responsibility for; assume charge orsupervision of. •/The secret service has to answer for the safety of thePresident and his family./ 2. To say you are sure that (someone) has goodcharacter or ability; guarantee: sponsor. •/When people thought Ray hadstolen the money, the principal said, "Ray is no thief. I’ll answer forhim."/ 3. Take the blame or punishment for. •/When Mother found out who atethe cake, Tom had to answer for his mischief./
[answer one’s calling]{v. phr.} To fulfill one’s destiny in terms ofwork or profession by doing what one has a talent for. •/Don answered hiscalling when he became a chiropractor. Susy answered her calling when shebecame a violinist./
[answer the call of nature] or [obey the call of nature]{v. phr.},{slang} To go to the bathroom to relieve oneself by urinating ordefecating. •/Ted was hiking in the mountains when suddenly he had to answerthe call of nature but since there was no bathroom in the woods, he excusedhimself and disappeared behind the bushes./
[answer to]{v.} To be named; go by a certain name or designation; be