Page 21 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
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alàve and kickàng


        alØveŁandŁkicking  and alØveŁandŁwell  well  all betterŁnow improved;Łcured.Ł(FolksyŁor
          andŁhealthy.Ł(Infàrmal.)     JANE: How is  juvnile.)    My leg was sore, but it’s all
          Bill? MARY: Oh, he’s alve and kickng.      better now.    I fell off my tricycle and
          The last Łime I saw Tom, he was alve and  bumped my knee. Mommy kissed it, and
          well.                              it’s all błtter now.
        aliveŁandŁwell Go to alàve and kickàng.  allŁdayŁlong throughout the day; during
                                             the entire day.   We wØited for you at the
        alive with someone ortsomething càvered with,  station all dØy long.    I can’t kłep smil-
          filled  with,  or  active  with  people  or  ing all dØy long.
          things.Ł   Look!  Ants  everywhere.  The
          floor is alve with ants!    When we got to  allŁ dressedŁ up  dressedŁ inŁ one’sŁ besð
          the  ballroom,  the  place  was  alive  with  clothes;Ł dressedŁ formally.Ł   We’re  all
          dancing.    The  campground  was  alivł  dressed up to go out to dnner.    I really
          with campers from all over the country.  hate to get all dressed up just to go some-
                                             where to eat.
        allŁ andŁ sundry  everyàne;  one  andŁ all.
          (Folksy.)   Cold drinks were served to all  all  for  something veryŁ much  inŁ favorŁ of
          and sundry.   All and sundry came to the  sàmething.Ł( For isŁusuallyŁemphasized.)
          vllage fair.                         Bill  is  all  for  stoppng  off to  głt  icł
                                             cream.    Mary  suggested  that  they  sell
        allŁ aroundŁ Robin  Hood’s  byrn  gàing  their house. They weren’t all for it, but they
          somewhere not by a direct ràute; gàing  did it anywØy.
          wayŁout of the wayŁ[to get sàmewhere];  (yll)ŁforŁtheŁbeðt  goodŁinŁspite of the way
          by a long and circuitous ràute.Ł   We had  it seemsŁnow; betterŁthanŁyouŁthink.Ł(Of-
          to go all around Robn Hood’s barn to get  tenŁsaidŁwhenŁsàmeone diesŁafterŁaŁseri-
          to the lttle town.    She walked all around  ousŁillness.)    I’m very sorry to hear of the
          Robin Hood’s barn lookng for a shop that  death of your aunt. Perhaps it’s for the best.
          sold Finnish glassware.
                                               I didà’t get into the collłge I wanted, but
        allŁatŁonce 1.  suddnly.    All at once the  I couldà’t afford it anyway. It’s probably all
          chair broke, and Bob fell to the floor.   All  for the best.
          at once she tripped on a stone. 2. all at the  allŁgone usedŁup;Łfinisłed;Łover with.Ł
          same time.Ł   The entire group spoke all  Oh, the strawberry jelly is all gone.   We
          at once.   They were trying to cook dn-  used to have wonderful parties, but those
          ner, clean house, and paint the closet all  days Øre Øll gone.
          at once.
                                            all in tired;Łexhausðed;Ł all tuckered out.
        (yll)ŁatŁsea (aboutŁ something) confused;Łlosð  I just walked all the wØy from town. I’m
          and bewildered.Ł   Mary is all at sea about  all in.   “What a dØy!” said Sally. “I’m all
          głtting  married.    When  it  comes  to  in.”
          higher mØth, John is totally at sea.
                                            allŁ in  a  day’s  włrk  part of what isŁex-
        (yll)Ł bylledŁ up  troubled;Ł confused;Ł inŁ a  pected;ŁtypicalŁor normal.Ł(Also literal.)
          mess.Ł(Slang.)    Look at you! You’re really    I  don’t  particularly  like  to  cook,  but
          all balled up!   John is all balled up be-  it’s all in a dØy’s work.    PuŁting up with
          cause his car was stolłn.    Of course this  rude customłrs isn’t pleasant, but it’s all
          typewriter won’t work. It’s all balled up.  in a dØy’s work.    Cleaning up after other
                                             people is all in a dØy’s work for a chamber-
        (yll)ŁbeerŁandŁskittleð  all fun and plea-  maid.
          sure; easyŁandŁpleasant.Ł(SkittlesŁisŁthe
          game  of ninepins,Ł aŁ game  similarŁ to  all in all consideringŁeverythingŁthat has
          bàwling.)    Life isn’t all błer and skttles,  happened;ŁinŁsummaryŁandŁinŁspite of
          you know!   For Sam, collłge was błer  anyŁunpleasantness.Ł   All in all, it was a
          and skttles. He wasted a lot of time and  very good party.   All in all, I’m glad that
          money.                             I visited New York City.

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