all told

The phrase all told is often used in English, but what does this idiom mean? When idioms are used in the right situations, they strengthen communication and enrich the language. You can communicate more effectively by learning the meaning of all told.

Meaning of "all told"

Meaning

The idiom "all told" is an expression that typically means "in all" or "altogether". It emphasizes the number of items, people, or things that are being discussed and is used to describe the total. It is typically used toward the end of a discussion or statement to summarize the quantity of something.

Etymology

The idiom "all told" is believed to have come into use in the United States during the 1800s. The earliest documented use of the idiom was in an 1824 edition of the American newspaper The Ohio Republican. A letter dated February 7th, 1824, used the phrase "all told, about one hundred of them". The phrase is thought to have come from the Latin phrase omnis, which means "all".

Usage

The phrase "all told" is used to add emphasis to the total number or amount of something, typically summarizing or concluding a discussion or statement. The phrase is generally placed at the end of a sentence to make it clear that the amount being spoken about is the total amount. It is most commonly used when discussing a number of items or people, but can also be used when discussing a number of years, days, minutes, or any type of quantity.

Example Sentences

• We had seven people in attendance at the meeting all told.
• We spent over two hours on the project all told.
• All told, we had three days to get the job done.
• We had twelve members of staff all told.

The universal role of idioms

"Kill two birds with one stone" is an English idiom that means to accomplish two things with a single action. In French, the similar idiom is "Faire d'une pierre deux coups," which translates to "To kill two birds with one stone." This idiom highlights the efficiency of completing two tasks with one action.