Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ALL, a. [awl'; Sax. eal; Dan. al; G. all; Sw. all; W. oll or holl; Arm. oll; Ir. uile; Gr. ὁλος; Shemitic כל, from כלה, calah, to be ended or completed, to perfect. The Welsh retains the first radical letter. This is radically the same word as heal; for in Sw. hel, and in Dan. hele, signify all, and these words are from the root of heal. See Call, Heal, and Whole.]

1. Every one, or the whole number of particulars.
2. The whole quantity, extent, duration, amount, quality, or degree; as, all the wheat; all the land; all the year; all the strength. This word signifies then, the whole or entire thing, or all the parts or particulars which compose it. It always precedes the definitive adjectives the, my, thy, his, our, your, their; as, all the cattle; all my labor; all thy goods; all his wealth; all our families; all your citizens; all their property. This word, not only in popular language, but in the Scriptures, often signifies, indefinitely, a large portion or number, or a great part. Thus all the cattle in Egypt died; all Judea and all the region roundabout Jordan; all men held John as a prophet; are not to be understood in a literal sense, but as including a large part or very great numbers. This word is prefixed to many other words; to enlarge their signification; as, already, always, all-prevailing.