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as a whole

 - 6 dictionary results

whole

[hohl]
–adjective
1. comprising the full quantity, amount, extent, number, etc., without diminution or exception; entire, full, or total: He ate the whole pie. They ran the whole distance.
2. containing all the elements properly belonging; complete: We have a whole set of antique china.
3. undivided; in one piece: to swallow a thing whole.
4. Mathematics. integral, or not fractional.
5. not broken, damaged, or impaired; intact: Thankfully, the vase arrived whole.
6. uninjured or unharmed; sound: He was surprised to find himself whole after the crash.
7. pertaining to all aspects of human nature, esp. one's physical, intellectual, and spiritual development: education for the whole person.
–noun
8. the whole assemblage of parts or elements belonging to a thing; the entire quantity, account, extent, or number: He accepted some of the parts but rejected the whole.
9. a thing complete in itself, or comprising all its parts or elements.
10. an assemblage of parts associated or viewed together as one thing; a unitary system.
11. as a whole, all things included or considered; altogether: As a whole, the relocation seems to have been beneficial.
12. on or upon the whole,
a. in view of all the circumstances; after consideration.
b. disregarding exceptions; in general: On the whole, the neighborhood is improving.
13. out of whole cloth, without foundation in fact; fictitious: a story made out of whole cloth.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME hole, hool (adj. and n.), OE hāl (adj.); c. D heel, G heil, ON heill; see hale 1 , heal; sp. with w reflects dial. form


wholeness, noun


1. undiminished, integral, complete. 5. unimpaired, perfect. 8. totality, aggregate. Whole, total mean the entire or complete sum or amount. The whole is all there is; every part, member, aspect; the complete sum, amount, quantity of anything, not divided; the entirety: the whole of one's property, family. Total also means whole, complete amount, or number, but conveys the idea of something added together or added up: The total of their gains amounted to millions.


1. partial. 8. part.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To as a whole
whole   (hōl)   
adj.  
  1. Containing all components; complete: a whole wardrobe for the tropics.

  2. Not divided or disjoined; in one unit: a whole loaf.

  3. Constituting the full amount, extent, or duration: The baby cried the whole trip home.

    1. Not wounded, injured, or impaired; sound or unhurt: Many escaped the fire frightened but whole.

    2. Having been restored; healed: After the treatment he felt whole.

  4. Having the same parents: a whole sister.

n.  
  1. A number, group, set, or thing lacking no part or element; a complete thing.

  2. An entity or system made up of interrelated parts: The value of the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

adv.   Informal
Entirely; wholly: a whole new idea.

[Middle English hole, unharmed, from Old English hāl; see kailo- in Indo-European roots.]
whole'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean including every constituent or individual: a whole town devastated by an earthquake; all the class going on a field trip; entire shipments lost by the distributor; gross income; the total cost.
Antonym: partial
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

whole 
O.E. hal "entire, unhurt, healthy," from P.Gmc. *khailaz "undamaged" (cf. O.S. hel, O.N. heill, O.Fris. hal, M.Du. hiel, Du. heel, O.H.G., Ger. heil "salvation, welfare"), from PIE *koilas (cf. O.S.C. celu "whole, complete;" see health). The spelling with wh- developed c.1420. Whole-hearted is first recorded 1840. For phrase whole hog, see hog.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: whole
Pronunciation: 'hOl
Function: adjective
: containing all its natural constituents, components, or elements : deprived of nothingby refining, processing, or separation <whole milk>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

whole (hōl)
adj.

  1. Not wounded, injured, or impaired; sound or unhurt.

  2. Having been restored; healed.

n.
An entity or a system made up of interrelated parts.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

as a whole

All parts or aspects considered, altogether, as in I like the play as a whole, though the second act seemed somewhat slow. [Early 1800s] Also see on the whole.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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