whole
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
How often you will meet it
Rank 258 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 86,811 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.041% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete gave his whole attentiona whole wardrobe for the tropics
- (of siblings) having the same parents whole brothers and sisters
- not injured or harmed also: unharmed, unhurt, unscathed
- exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health also: hale hale and heartywhole in mind and body
- acting together as a single undiversified whole also: solid, unanimous a solid voting bloc
noun
- all of something including all its component elements or parts Europe considered as a wholethe whole of American literature
- an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity also: unit how big is that part compared to the whole?the team is a unit
adverb
- to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (`whole' is often used informally for `wholly') also: wholly, entirely, completely, totally, all, altogether he was wholly convincedentirely satisfied with the meal
whole in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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In the whole world there is nobody to believe in--except him.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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Of course, they make mistakes, but on the whole they pick the best men astonishingly.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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The whole of this little valley belonged to three brothers called Schwartz, Hans, and Gluck.
Famous Stories Every Child Should Know · Hamilton Wright [Editor] Mabie · Chapter 1
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His whole attention seemed fixed upon the curling wreath of blue smoke which hung between us.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
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But even under these circumstances he still gained ground, when suddenly the whole aspect of the battle was changed.
A Knight of the White Cross · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1