Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. absorbed in, obsessed by; often ext. as like a cheap suit.

1923		Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves 16: Absolutely all over me, I can’t make it out.
1929		(con. 1916) F. Manning Her Privates We (1986) 33: As soon as they heard Bourne had been standing us gin and bitters, and champagne [...] they were all over him.
1935		E.F. Benson Mapp and Lucia (1984) 214: She was ‘all over me,’ to use that dreadful slang expression of Major Benjy’s.
1976		D. Ireland Glass Canoe (1982) 76: Long as you’ve got a nice white shirt on and your black bow tie and you’re sober and speak nice, they’re all over you.
1986		R.G. Barrett Godson 115: ‘She was all over you like a cheap suit when I walked out the door’.
1989		P. Munro Sl. U. 28: After the boss demanded the report by noon, the employee was all over it.
1997		(con. 1960s) A. Frewin London Blues 125: Stephen was all over me and all over Veronica when we arrived.
2002		A. Duff Jake’s Long Shadow 117: He was all over Sharms from the moment he locked eyes with her across the (seedy) bar.
2020		A. Parks Bobby March Will Live Forever 268: ‘My cousin Anne’s brought a pal. She was all over me like a cheap rash’.
2022		A. Parks May God Forgive 154: ‘Two lookers like that? He’d have been all over them like a cheap suit’.

2. pursuing (in a non-sexual manner); often ext. as like a cheap suit, like a rash etc.

1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 46: They were all over him when he started on the oysters.
1981		G.V. Higgins Rat on Fire (1982) 34: He was all over my father like a rash.
1986		C. Bowles G’DAY 14: SHANE: Just some blonde tart I conned up at Selina's. Top sort. GAZZA: Shit eh? SHANE: Yeah, all over me like a rash, she was.
1989		P. Benchley Lush 91: Even think about stealing on me, I be all over you like drool on a baby.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 59: Fuckin Tarzon’s all over me like a cheap suit.
1990		R. Campbell Sweet La-La Land (1999) 24: They were all over him like shit on a bean patch.
2008		S. Orman Road to Wealth 35: In many cases, there are lenders who will be all over you like a cheap suit.
2009		T. Black Gutted 92: This Jonny fucker’s all over me like a cheap suit.

3. attacking verbally, nagging.

1956		‘James Updyke’ [W.R. Burnett] It’s Always Four O’Clock 114: You’re going with a dame. She’s all over you. What did you have for lunch? Where were you Tuesday night? Why didn’t you call me at eight o’clock? Know what I mean?
2000		P. Beatty Tuff 125: Carter was all over Tuffy. ‘Nigger, you so fat, you jumped into the sky and got stuck. Motherfucker, you so big, you wear pillow cases for socks.’.

4. making physical/sexual advances, often when not desired.

1967		J. Wynnum I’m a Jack, All Right 88: If I was free and easy like this sailor boy, I’d be all over you like a rash.
1971		H.E. Roberts Third Ear n.p.: all over someone expression describing close physical contact in a fight situation.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 24: The broads were all over.
1986		R.G. Barrett Real Thing 44: She’d been all over Norton like ants at a picnic.
1999		Guardian Sport 16 Apr. l 16: Next thing I know she’s all over me on the dance floor.
2000		P. Howard Miseducation of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly (2004) 58: I thought she’d be all over me like a rash after the Gonzaga result.
2013		T. Black Ringer [ebook] n.p.: He’d have been all over the French lassies like a rash.

5. (US campus) in control of.

1983		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 1: all over that/all over it – an expression of enthusiasm, usually implying command or dominance over a subject, sport, or person: I’m all over that history course on Alexander.
1998		D. Jenkins Rude Behavior 269: ‘No sweat,’ she said. ‘I’m all over it [i.e. some information].’ .
2004		Mad mag. Nov. n.p.: I’m all over it. I’ll head right over to the library.
2018		J.-P. Jordan Joys of War 26: The tri-service may have a few areas that need addressing but when it comes to this preparation [...] they are all over it .