all-out

[ awl-out ]
/ ˈɔlˌaʊt /

adjective

using all one's resources; complete; total: an all-out effort.

Origin of all-out

1905–10; adj. use of all out utterly, completely, Middle English al out

Definition for all out (2 of 3)

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.

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)

Definition for all out (3 of 3)

Origin of out

before 900; (adv.) Middle English; Old English ūt; cognate with Dutch uit, German aus, Old Norse, Gothic ūt; akin to Sanskrit ud-; (adj., interjection, and preposition) Middle English, from the adv.; (v.) Middle English outen, Old English ūtian to put out, cognate with Old Frisian ūtia

British Dictionary definitions for all out (1 of 3)

all-out
/ informal /

adjective

using one's maximum powers an all-out effort

adverb all out

to one's maximum effort or capacity he went all out on the home stretch

British Dictionary definitions for all out (2 of 3)

Word Origin for out

Old English ūt; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse ūt, Old High German ūz, German aus

usage for out

The use of out as a preposition, though common in American English, is regarded as incorrect in British English: he climbed out of (not out) a window; he went out through the door

British Dictionary definitions for all out (3 of 3)

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 all out (1 of 3)

all out

With all one's strength, ability, or resources; not holding back. For example, They are going all out to make the fund-raiser a success. This seemingly modern term dates from about 1300, when it meant “completely” or “wholly.” It now refers to making a great effort and is also used adjectivally, as in an all-out effort. This usage became current in America in the late 1800s, with reference to races and other kinds of athletic exertion. In the mid-1900s it gave rise to the phrase to go all out and was transferred to just about any energetic undertaking. Also see go whole hog.

Idioms and Phrases with all out (2 of 3)

all

Idioms and Phrases with all out (3 of 3)

out