[alert] See: ON THE ALERT.
[a little] or A small amount (of); some. - Usually "a little" is different in meaning from "little", which emphasizes the negative; "a little" means "some"; but "little" means "not much". We say * /"We thought that the paper was all gone, but a little was left."/ But we say, * /"We thought we still had a bag of flour, but little was left."/ Also, we say, * /"Bob was sick yesterday, but he is a little better today."/ But we say, * /"Bob was sick yesterday, and he is little better today."/ Sometimes "a little" is used with "only", and then it is negative. * /We thought we had a whole bag of flour, but only a little was left./ * /We have used most of the sugar; but a little is left./ * /We did not eat all the cake; we saved a little of it for you./ * /I'm tired; I need a little time to rest./ * /Where is the paper? I need a little more./ - Often used like an adverb. * /Usually the teacher just watched the dancing class, but sometimes she danced a little to show them how./ * /The children wanted to play a little longer./ - Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. * /The sick girl could not eat anything, but she could drink a very little tea./ Syn.: A BIT. Compare: A FEW. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A LITTLE.
[a little bird told me] To have learned something from a mysterious, unknown, or secret source. * /"Who told you that Dean Smith was resigning?" Peter asked. "A little bird told me," Jim answered./
[a little knowledge is a dangerous thing] A person who knows a little about something may think he knows it all and make bad mistakes. - A proverb. * /John has read a book on driving a car and now he thinks he can drive. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing./
[alive] See: COME ALIVE, KNOW --- IS ALIVE, LOOK ALIVE, SKIN ALIVE.
[alive and kicking] Very active; vigorous; full of energy. * /Grandpa was taken to the hospital with pneumonia, but he was discharged yesterday and is alive and kicking./
[alive with] , Crowded with; filled with. * /The lake was alive with fish./ * /The stores were alive with people the Saturday before Christmas./
[all] See: AFTER ALL, AND ALL, AT ALL, BEAT ALL or BEAT THE DUTCH, FOR ALL, FOR ALL ONE IS WORTH, FOR ALL ONE KNOWS, FOR ALL THE WORLD, FOR GOOD also FOR GOOD AND ALL, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE'S HEART or WITH ALL ONE'S HEART, HAVE ALL ONE'S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE'S MARBLES, IN ALL, JUMP ON or JUMP ALL OVER or LAND ALL OVER, KNOW-IT-ALL, ON ALL FOURS, ONCE AND FOR ALL, PUT ALL ONE'S EGGS IN ONE BASKET, STRIKE ALL OF A HEAP, WALK OVER or WALK ALL OVER or STEP ALL OVER.
