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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