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8 dictionary results for: whole

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

whole

[hohl] Pronunciation Key

–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.

—Idioms

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 hale¹, heal; sp. with w reflects dial. form

]

—Related forms

wholeness, noun

—Synonyms 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.

—Antonyms 1. partial. 8. part.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

whole (hōl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Containing all components; complete: a whole wardrobe for the tropics.
Not divided or disjoined; in one unit: a whole loaf.
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.
Having the same parents: a whole sister.

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

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

whole
adjective
1.	including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete; "gave his whole attention"; "a whole wardrobe for the tropics"; "the whole hog"; "a whole week"; "the baby cried the whole trip home"; "a whole loaf of bread" [ant: fractional]
2.	(of siblings) having the same parents; "whole brothers and sisters" [ant: half]
3.	not injured [syn: unharmed]
4.	exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health; "hale and hearty"; "whole in mind and body"; "a whole person again" [syn: hale]
5.	acting together as a single undiversified whole; "a solid voting bloc" [syn: solid]
adverb
1.	to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent ('whole' is often used informally for 'wholly'); "he was wholly convinced"; "entirely satisfied with the meal"; "it was completely different from what we expected"; "was completely at fault"; "a totally new situation"; "the directions were all wrong"; "it was not altogether her fault"; "an altogether new approach"; "a whole new idea" [syn: wholly] [ant: part]
noun
1.	all of something including all its component elements or parts; "Europe considered as a whole"; "the whole of American literature"
2.	an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity; "how big is that part compared to the whole?"; "the team is a unit"

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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

whole

In addition to the idioms beginning with whole, also see as a whole; go whole hog; on the whole; out of whole cloth.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

whole (hōl)
adj.

Not wounded, injured, or impaired; sound or unhurt.
Having been restored; healed.

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

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Whole

Whole\, a. [OE. hole, hol, hal, hool, AS. h[=a]l well, sound, healthy; akin to OFries. & OS. h?l, D. heel, G. heil, Icel. heill, Sw. hel whole, Dan. heel, Goth. hails well, sound, OIr. c?l augury. Cf. Hale, Hail to greet, Heal to cure, Health, Holy.]

1. Containing the total amount, number, etc.; comprising all the parts; free from deficiency; all; total; entire; as, the whole earth; the whole solar system; the whole army; the whole nation. "On their whole host I flew unarmed." --Milton.

The whole race of mankind. --Shak.

2. Complete; entire; not defective or imperfect; not broken or fractured; unimpaired; uninjured; integral; as, a whole orange; the egg is whole; the vessel is whole.

My life is yet whole in me. --2 Sam. i. 9.

3. Possessing, or being in a state of, heath and soundness; healthy; sound; well.

[She] findeth there her friends hole and sound. --Chaucer.

They that be whole need not a physician. --Matt. ix. 12.

When Sir Lancelot's deadly hurt was whole. --Tennyson.

Whole blood. (Law of Descent) See under Blood, n., 2.

Whole note (Mus.), the note which represents a note of longest duration in common use; a semibreve.

Whole number (Math.), a number which is not a fraction or mixed number; an integer.

Whole snipe (Zo["o]l.), the common snipe, as distinguished from the smaller jacksnipe. [Prov. Eng.]

Syn: All; total; complete; entire; integral; undivided; uninjured; unimpaired; unbroken; healthy.

Usage: Whole, Total, Entire, Complete. When we use the word whole, we refer to a thing as made up of parts, none of which are wanting; as, a whole week; a whole year; the whole creation. When we use the word total, we have reference to all as taken together, and forming a single totality; as, the total amount; the total income. When we speak of a thing as entire, we have no reference to parts at all, but regard the thing as an integer, i. e., continuous or unbroken; as, an entire year; entire prosperity. When we speak of a thing as complete, there is reference to some progress which results in a filling out to some end or object, or a perfected state with no deficiency; as, complete success; a complete victory.

All the whole army stood agazed on him. --Shak.

One entire and perfect chrysolite. --Shak.

Lest total darkness should by night regain Her old possession, and extinguish life. --Milton.

So absolute she seems, And in herself complete. --Milton.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Whole

Whole\, n. 1. The entire thing; the entire assemblage of parts; totality; all of a thing, without defect or exception; a thing complete in itself.

"This not the whole of life to live, Nor all of death to die. --J. Montgomery.

2. A regular combination of parts; a system.

Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole. --Pope.

Committee of the whole. See under Committee.