"whole" - meanings, definitions, synonyms, thesaurus and antonyms

\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.

\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}.

{Upon the whole}, considering all things; taking everything
   into account; in view of all the circumstances or
   conditions.

Syn: Totality; total; amount; aggregate; gross.