A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

all in all • in all
all in all —
1
. taking everything into consideration: All in
all, they do their best to portray something original. 2. (of a
person or thing ) of supreme importance to smb.: This adven-
turer made love to the girl that was all in all to me.
in all —in total number: I stayed for three days in all, and
throughout those three days I was sitting in their wonderful
library.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase at all— under any circumstances: If that is so, why write
at all?
all in one piece • all of a piece
all in one piece —(also: in one piece) without injury; relatively
unharmed: I was covered in plaster and my eyes were full of
dust, but I was all in one piece and thankful to be alive.
all of a piece —
1
. of the same kind or quality: It’s all of a
piece here. The men effeminate, the women unsexed. 2. (with)
in harmony or consistent with smth.: His rejection of health-
care reform is all of a piece with his disregard for the under-
privileged.
all kinds of something • all sorts of something
all kinds of something —
1
. many different kinds of smth.: For
many years, Tutt Library has accepted donations of all kinds
of books from community supporters. 2. (coll.) plenty of
smth.; a large amount of smth.: The reality is that the gov-
ernment has all kinds of money. They have more money than
they know what to do with.
all sorts of something — = all kinds of something 
1
: Classrooms
should be stocked full of all sorts of books and school libraries
should be as desirable a destination as the local bookstore.
all mouth and no trousers • all mouth and
trousers
all mouth and no trousers —(UK derog.) said of smb. who
talks or boasts a lot but doesn’t take any action (also: all talk
and no trousers): How much longer will it take to realize that
the leader is all mouth and no trousers?
all mouth and trousers — = all mouth and no trousers: Jack is
all mouth and trousers, he never does anything he says he will.