all over the place Definition

all
adj

1. The whole amount, number or extent of something; every.
2. The greatest possible.

Example: run with all speed
3. Any whatever.

Example: beyond all doubt

noun

1. Every one of the people or things concerned; the whole of something.
2. One's whole strength, resources, etc.

Example: give one's all

adverb

1. Entirely; quite.
2. colloq
Very.
Example: go all shy
3. Used in giving the score in various games: on each side. See also a'.

Example: 30 all

Idiom: all along

The whole time.
Thesaurus: from the beginning, all the time, constantly, regularly.

Idiom: all and sundry

Everyone.

Idiom: all but ...

Very nearly ....
Example: He all but drowned

Idiom: all for something

Extremely enthusiastic about it.

Idiom: all found

Said of accommodation charges: including all possible extra costs, such as meals, electricity and laundry.

Idiom: all in

colloq
Exhausted.

With all expenses included.

Idiom: all in all

Considering everything.

Idiom: all over

Finished.

Idiom: all over someone

colloq
Excessively demonstrative towards them.

Idiom: all over something

Everywhere in or on it.
Example: all over the world

Idiom: all over the place

colloq
In a disorganized muddle.

Derivative: all right

See separate entry.

Idiom: all systems go!

Everything is in working order or ready to start.

Idiom: all that ... (as ... as all that)

Note: with negatives and in questions
Particularly ....
Example: He's not as bad as all that

Idiom: all the best!

colloq
Good luck!

Idiom: all there

colloq
Note: usually with negatives
Completely sane; mentally alert.

Idiom: all the same

See under same.

Idiom: all told

Including everyone or everything.
Thesaurus: in all, altogether, on the whole, in toto.

Taking everything into account.

Idiom: all up with someone or something

At an end for them or it.

Beyond all hope for them.

Idiom: and all that

Etcetera.

Idiom: at all

In the least.

In any way.

Idiom: for all that

In spite of it.

Idiom: in all

All together.

Idiom: that's her etc all over

colloq
That's exactly what one would expect from her, etc.

Idiom: when all is said and done

colloq
All things considered; after all.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon eall.

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place
noun

1. A portion of the Earth's surface, particularly one considered as a unit, such as an area, region, district, locality, etc.
2. A geographic area or position, such as a country, city, town, village, etc.

Thesaurus: position, location, point, spot, vicinity.
3. A building, room, piece of ground, etc, particularly one assigned to some purpose.

Example: place of business
Example: place of worship
4. colloq
One's home or lodging
Example: Let's go to my place.
5. Somewhere with a specified association or function.

Example: one's birthplace
Example: a hiding-place
6. A seat or space, eg at table.

Example: lay three places
7. A seat in a theatre, on a train, bus, etc.
8. An area on the surface of something, eg on the body.

Example: point to the sore place
9. The customary position of something or someone.

Example: put it back in its place
10. A point reached, eg in a conversation, narrative, series of developments, etc.

Example: a good place to stop
11. A point in a book, etc, especially where one stopped reading.

Example: made me lose my place
12. A position within an order eg of competitors in a contest, a set of priorities, etc.

Example: finished in third place
Example: lost his place in the queue
Example: lets her family take second place
13. Social or political rank.

Example: know one's place
Example: corruption in high places
14. A vacancy at an institution, on a committee, in a firm, etc.

Example: gain a university place
Thesaurus: job, position, office, post.
15. One's role, function, duty, etc.

Example: It's not my place to tell him
16. A useful role.

Example: There's a place for judicious lying
17a. An open square or a row of houses;

Example: the market place
17b. Used in street names.

Example: Buccleuch Place
Form: Place
18. math.
The position of a number in a series, especially of decimals after the point.

verb placed, placing

1. To put, position, etc in a particular place.

Thesaurus: put, plant, assign, lodge, stow, locate, settle, deposit, install, situate.
2. To submit.

Example: place an order
Example: place an advertisement
3. To find a place, home, job, publisher, etc for someone.

Example: The agency were able to place her immediately with a company
4. To assign final positions to (contestants, etc).

Example: was placed fourth
5. To identify or categorize.

Example: a familiar voice that I couldn't quite place
6. commerce.
To find a buyer for (stocks or shares, usually a large quantity of them).
7. To arrange (a bet, loan, etc).
(especially N Amer)
intr
8. To finish a race or competition (in a specified position or, if unspecified, in second position)

Example: The favourite placed third.

Idiom: all over the place

In disorder or confusion.

Idiom: be placed

To finish as one of the first three or, in some races, the first four.

To be in a position to do something.
Example: was well placed to influence the decision

Idiom: fall into place

To become clear; to make sense.

Idiom: give place to someone or something

To make way for or yield to them.

Idiom: go places

To travel.

To be successful.
Thesaurus: succeed, achieve, advance, get ahead, get somewhere, move up.

Idiom: in place

In the correct position.

Idiom: in place of something or someone

Instead of it or them.

Idiom: in the first place

In any event; anyway.
Example: I never liked it in the first place

Idiom: in the first place (in the second etc place)

Used to introduce successive points.

Idiom: in places

Here and there.

Idiom: in your etc place

If I were you etc.

Idiom: know one's place

To show proper subservience (to someone, an organization, etc).

Idiom: lose one's place

To falter in following a text, etc; not to know what point has been reached.

Idiom: lose the place

colloq
To become angry.

Idiom: out of place

Not in the correct position.

Inappropriate.

Idiom: put someone in their place (keep someone in their place)

To humble them as they deserve because of their arrogance, conceit, etc.
Thesaurus: humble, humiliate, reprimand, derogate, take someone down a peg or two.

Idiom: take one's place

To assume one's usual or rightful position.

Idiom: take place

To happen, occur, be held, etc.
Example: the ceremony takes place next week in London

Idiom: take the place of someone or something

To replace or supersede them.

Etymology: 13c: from Anglo-Saxon plæce and French place an open place or street.