all that glitters is not gold

Appearances can be deceiving. A proverbial saying since the late Middle Ages, it appears in numerous languages to this day. O. Henry wrote a story entitled “The Gold That Glittered,” and two other writers observed in addition that “all isn’t garbage that smells.”

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all systems go

Everything is ready for action. The term is relatively new, originating in the space launches of the 1960s, and became well known through widespread television coverage of these events. John Powers, the public information officer for the United States space program from 1959
to 1964, would announce, “All systems go. Everything is A-OK.” The phrase soon was extended to other endeavors.

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all’s fair in love and war

Any tactic or strategy is permissible. The idea was expressed for centuries by numerous writers, from Chaucer (Troilus and Criseyde) to Maxwell Anderson (What Price Glory?). Modern versions sometimes add or substitute another enterprise, such as “in love and war and politics”
(George Ade), or “in love and tennis (or any other competitive sport).”

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all roads lead to Rome

Any of several choices will lead to the same result. The metaphor is based on the ancient empire’s system of roads, which radiated from the capital like the spokes of a wheel. As a figure of speech it appeared as early as the twelfth century. It was used by Chaucer, and occurs in numerous other languages as well.

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all present and accounted for Everyone (or everything) is here

This cliché originated in the military as a response to roll call and actually is redundant—if one is present one is also accounted for. The British version, all present and correct, where correct means “in order,” makes more sense but did not cross the Atlantic.

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face that launched a thousand ships, the

An exceptionally beautiful woman; or, ironically, someone lacking in beauty. The phrase comes from Christopher Marlowe’s play Doctor Faustus (c. 1588), and describes Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Greece, whose legendary beauty led to her abduc- tion by Paris, which set off the Trojan War. “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships, And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?” wrote Marlowe.

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eagle-eyed

Keen-sighted, either literally or figuratively. Like all birds of prey, eagles of necessity have excellent eyesight, which they need to spot their food supply. Their perspicacity has been transferred to human beings since Roman times. Horace pointed out (Satires, 35 B.C.) that those who are eagle-eyed in spotting others’ faults are blind to their own. “Faith, being eagle-eyed, can . . . see the majestie of God,” wrote Bishop William Barlow
in 1601. Later the term was often put as having an eagle eye.

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