whole

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English hool healthy, unhurt, entire, from Old English hāl; akin to Old High German heil healthy, unhurt, Old Norse heill, Old Church Slavic cělŭ Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) free of wound or injury ; unhurt (2) recovered from a wound or injury ; restored (3) being healed <

whole of an ancient evil, I sleep sound — A. E. Housman

> b. free of defect or impairment ; intact c. physically sound and healthy ; free of disease or deformity d. mentally or emotionally sound 2. having all its proper parts or components ; complete, unmodified <

whole milk

> <

a whole egg

> 3. a. constituting the total sum or undiminished entirety ; entire <

owns the whole island

> b. each or all of the <

took part in the whole series of athletic events

> 4. a. constituting an undivided unit ; unbroken, uncut <

a whole roast suckling pig

> b. directed to one end ; concentrated <

promised to give it his whole attention

> 5. a. seemingly complete or total <

the whole idea is to help, not hinder

> b. very great in quantity, extent, or scope <

feels a whole lot better now

> 6. constituting the entirety of a person's nature or development <

educate the whole student

> 7. having the same father and mother <

whole brother

> Synonyms: see perfect • wholeness noun Synonyms: whole, entire, total, all mean including everything or everyone without exception. whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away <

read the whole book

>. entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added <

the entire population was wiped out

>. total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered <

the total number of people present

>. all may equal whole, entire or total <

all proceeds go to charity

>. II. noun Date: 14th century 1. a complete amount or sum ; a number, aggregate, or totality lacking no part, member, or element 2. something constituting a complex unity ; a coherent system or organization of parts fitting or working together as one III. adverb Date: 14th century 1. wholly, entirely <

a whole new age group — Henry Chauncey

> 2. as a complete entity