4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a place is alive with something, there are a lot of people or things there and it seems busy or exciting. □ [+ with ] The river was alive with birds.
5 PHRASE If people, places, or events come alive , they start to be lively again after a quiet period. If someone or something brings them alive , they cause them to come alive. □ The doctor's voice had come alive and his small eyes shone.
6 PHRASE If a story or description comes alive , it becomes interesting, lively, or realistic. If someone or something brings it alive , they make it seem more interesting, lively, or realistic. □ She made history come alive with tales from her own memories.
7 PHRASE If you say that someone or something is alive and kicking , you are emphasizing not only that they continue to survive, but also that they are very active. [EMPHASIS ] □ …worries that the secret police may still be alive and kicking.
8 PHRASE If you say that someone or something is alive and well , you are emphasizing that they continue to survive. [EMPHASIS ] □ A man who went missing yesterday during a blizzard has been found alive and well. USAGE alive
Don’t use ‘alive’ in front of a noun. Don’t say, for example, ‘
al|ka|li /æ lkəla I / (alkalis ) N‑VAR An alkali is a substance with a pH value of more than 7. Alkalis form chemical salts when they are combined with acids.
al|ka|line /æ lkəla I n/ ADJ Something that is alkaline contains an alkali or has a pH value of more than 7. □ Some soils are actually too alkaline for certain plant life. ● al|ka|lin|ity /ælkəl I n I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] A pH test measures the acidity or alkalinity of a substance.
all ◆◆◆ /ɔː l/
1 PREDET You use all to indicate that you are referring to the whole of a particular group or thing or to everyone or everything of a particular kind. □ …the restaurant that Hugh and all his friends go to. □ He lost all his money at a blackjack table in Las Vegas. ● DET All is also a determiner. □ There is built-in storage space in all bedrooms. □ 85 percent of all American households owe money on mortgages. □ He was passionate about all literature. ● QUANT All is also a quantifier. □ He was told to pack up all of his letters and personal belongings. □ He was talking to all of us. ● PRON All is also a pronoun. □ We produce our own hair-care products, all based on herbal recipes. □ I'd spent all I had, every last penny. ● PRON All is also an emphasizing pronoun. □ Milk, oily fish and egg all contain vitamin D. □ We all admire professionalism and dedication.
2 DET You use all to refer to the whole of a particular period of time. □ George had to cut grass all afternoon. □ She's been feeling bad all week. ● PREDET All is also a predeterminer. □ She's worked all her life. □ He was looking at me all the time. ● QUANT All is also a quantifier. □ He spent all of that afternoon polishing the silver. □ Two-thirds of the women interviewed think about food a lot or all of the time.
3 PRON You use all to refer to a situation or to life in general. □ All is silent on the island now. □ As you'll have read in our news pages, all has not been well of late.
4 ADV You use all to emphasize that something is completely true, or happens everywhere or always, or on every occasion. [EMPHASIS ] □ He loves animals and he knows all about them. □ Parts for the aircraft will be made all round the world. □ I got scared and I ran and left her all alone. □ He was doing it all by himself.
5 PRON You use all at the beginning of a clause when you are emphasizing that something is the only thing that is important. [EMPHASIS ] □ He said all that remained was to agree to a time and venue. □ All you ever want to do is go shopping! □ All I could say was, 'I'm sorry'.
6 DET You use all in expressions such as in all sincerity and in all probability to emphasize that you are being sincere or that something is very likely. [EMPHASIS ] □ In all fairness he had to admit that she was neither dishonest nor lazy.
7 ADV You use all when you are talking about an equal score in a game. For example, if the score is three all , both players or teams have three points.
8 ADV All is used in structures such as all the more or all the better to mean even more or even better than before. □ The living room is decorated in pale colours that make it all the more airy.
9 PRON You use all in expressions such as seen it all and done it all to emphasize that someone has had a lot of experience of something. [EMPHASIS ] □ You can't have it all - life is about choice, time is limited. □ Here's a man who has seen it all, tasted and heard it all.
10 PHRASE You say above all to indicate that the thing you are mentioning is the most important point. [EMPHASIS ] □ Above all, chairs should be comfortable.
11 PHRASE You use after all when introducing a statement which supports or helps explain something you have just said. □ I thought you might know somebody. After all, you're the man with connections.
12 PHRASE You use after all when you are saying that something that you thought might not be the case is in fact the case. □ I came out here on the chance of finding you at home after all.
13 PHRASE You use and all when you want to emphasize that what you are talking about includes the thing mentioned, especially when this is surprising or unusual. [EMPHASIS ] □ He dropped his sausage on the pavement and someone's dog ate it, mustard and all.