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REFERENCE

all told

idiom
Meaning

With everything included, counted, or summed; in total.


Origin

disputed origin

From all + told (“counted”), from the original, now archaic sense [one] of tell.

Examples
SIMPLE

All told, we have ten people coming to the party.

CONTEXTUAL

The repairs took three days and cost five hundred dollars, all told.

COMPLEX

All told, the expedition spanned six months, covered three continents, and resulted in several significant archaeological discoveries.

Anchors to
Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    a little bird told me

    I received the information from a source which I am not prepared to disclose.

  2. 02

    truth be told

    Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

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