Idioms for after

    after all, despite what has occurred or been assumed previously; nevertheless: I've discovered I can attend the meeting after all.

Origin of after

before 900; Middle English; Old English æfter; cognate with Old Frisian efter, Old Saxon, Old High German after, Gothic aftaro, Old Norse eptir; equivalent to æf- (see aft1) + -ter suffix of comparison and polarity (cognate with Greek -teros)

synonym study for after

1. See behind.

Words nearby after

afsc, afscme, afslaet, aft, aft., after, after a fashion, after a sort, after a while, after all, after all's said and done

Definition for after all (2 of 2)

Origin of all

before 900; Middle English al, plural alle; Old English eal(l); cognate with Gothic alls, Old Norse allr, Old Frisian, Dutch, Middle Low German al, Old Saxon, Old High German al(l) (German all); if < *ol-no-, equivalent to Welsh oll and akin to Old Irish uile < *ol-io-; cf. almighty

SYNONYMS FOR all

2 every one of, each of.
14 totally, utterly, fully.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR all ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for all

Expressions like all the farther and all the higher occur chiefly in informal speech: This is all the farther the bus goes. That's all the higher she can jump. Elsewhere as far as and as high as are generally used: This is as far as the bus goes. That's as high as she can jump.
Although some object to the inclusion of of in such phrases as all of the students and all of the contracts and prefer to omit it, the construction is entirely standard.
See also already, alright, altogether.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH all

all awl (see usage note at the current entry)

Words related to after all

still, yet, though, nevertheless, someday, conclusively, finally, basically, ultimately, eventually, already, belatedly, subsequently, even, notwithstanding, nonetheless, withal, however, last, lastly

British Dictionary definitions for after all (1 of 2)

Word Origin for after

Old English æfter; related to Old Norse aptr back, eptir after, Old High German aftar

British Dictionary definitions for after all (2 of 2)

all
/ (ɔːl) /

determiner

adverb

noun

(preceded by my, your, his, etc) (one's) complete effort or interest to give your all; you are my all
totality or whole

Other words from all

Related prefixes: pan-, panto-

Word Origin for all

Old English eall; related to Old High German al, Old Norse allr, Gothic alls all

Idioms and Phrases with after all (1 of 3)

after all
1

Despite everything, nevertheless, as in The plane took off half an hour late but landed on time after all.

2

After everything else has been considered, ultimately, as in Mary has final approval of the guest list; after all, it's her wedding. The two usages are pronounced differently, the first giving stress to the word after and the second to the word all. Both date from the early 1700s. Also see when all is said and done.

Idioms and Phrases with after all (2 of 3)

after

Idioms and Phrases with after all (3 of 3)

all