All Gone Meaning
Definition: Something that has finished, concluded, or been used up.
The phrase all gone has many different meanings in English. It is most commonly used to refer to something that has been completely used up, usually an object or food item.
In some cases, this phrase can be used to refer to past events, locations, or establishments that are in danger of becoming obsolete or no longer exist in the present time.
Ways to Use All Gone
All gone in English is closer to a phrase than it is to an idiom. This is because it has a more literal meaning, unlike most idioms in English. All gone can be used to refer to almost anything. It usually refers to countable, tangible items, but it does not always.
In some cases, all gone can be used to refer to the intangible, including past events, locations, or establishments that are on the verge of becoming obsolete or no longer exist in the present day. For example, a widow might say the good days are all gone now that her husband has passed away.
Examples of All Gone
All gone can be used in many ways, although its meaning generally remains the same. The context in which it is used, or what the phrase refers to, is what varies.
This example conversation between a young girl and her mom illustrates the correct use of this phrase in relation to a tangible, countable object.
Kendra: I want some more gumdrops!
Mom: You can’t have any, sweetie, they’re all gone. You ate them all.
Here is sample conversation showing how this phrase is used to refer to something intangible.
Danny: I bet you miss the old days of working at the garage, don’t you?
Bert: Sometimes. But those days are all gone now.
More Examples
- Now the Da Silvano party’s over. Forty-one years of Marchetto’s merry antics, high life and low life, laughter and romance, al dente pasta and fine Barolo and Brunello — all gone overnight. – NY Post
- “Diners? They’re all going, they’re almost all gone,” said my podcast guest Peter Bella, aka The Cooking Cop. “Where are the diners now?” – Chicago Tribune
Summary
The English phrase all gone refers to something that has finished, concluded, passed, or been used up.
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