from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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}.]
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
The whole race of mankind. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
My life is yet whole in me. --2 Sam. i. 9.
[1913 Webster]
3. Possessing, or being in a state of, heath and soundness;
healthy; sound; well.
[1913 Webster]
[She] findeth there her friends hole and sound.
--Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
They that be whole need not a physician. --Matt. ix.
12.
[1913 Webster]
When Sir Lancelot's deadly hurt was whole.
--Tennyson.
[1913 Webster]
{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} (Zool.), the common snipe, as distinguished
from the smaller jacksnipe. [Prov. Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
All the whole army stood agazed on him. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
One entire and perfect chrysolite. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Lest total darkness should by night regain
Her old possession, and extinguish life.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
So absolute she seems,
And in herself complete. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]