all of the above


all of the above

Every item or option previously listed. While this phrase is often said in casual conversation, it is also used as an answer on multiple choice tests. A: "What happened? Did you get stuck in traffic? Were you late? Was the boss mad?" B: "All of the above! It was a terrible morning."See also: above, all, of

all of the above

Also, none of the above. Each one (not any) of the above-named alternatives. For example, Have you decided to quit and announced your decision, or do you want to find another job first?-None of the above . These phrases originated as answers to a multiple-choice question on a test but are now also used colloquially, often as a form of avoiding a direct answer. They use above in the sense of "preceding," a usage dating from the second half of the 1700s. See also: above, all, of