(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you refer to the ~ of something, you mean all of it.
He has said he will make an apology to the ~ of Asia for his country’s past behaviour...
I was cold throughout the ~ of my body.
...the ~ of August.
QUANT: QUANT of def-n
•
Whole is also an adjective.
He’d been observing her the ~ trip...
We spent the ~ summer in Italy that year.
= entire
ADJ: ADJ n
2.
A ~ is a single thing which contains several different parts.
An atom itself is a complete ~, with its electrons, protons and neutrons and other elements...
N-COUNT: usu sing
3.
If something is ~, it is in one piece and is not broken or damaged.
I struck the glass with my fist with all my might; yet it remained ~...
Small bones should be avoided as the dog may swallow them ~ and risk internal injury.
= intact
ADJ: v-link ADJ, v n ADJ
4.
You use ~ to emphasize what you are saying. (INFORMAL)
It was like seeing a ~ different side of somebody...
His father had helped invent a ~ new way of doing business.
= totally
ADV: ADV adj emphasis
•
Whole is also an adjective.
That saved me a ~ bunch of money...
ADJ: ADJ n
5.
If you refer to something as a ~, you are referring to it generally and as a single unit.
He described the move as a victory for the people of South Africa as a ~...
As a ~ we do not eat enough fibre in Britain.
PHRASE: n PHR, PHR with cl
6.
You use on the ~ to indicate that what you are saying is true in general but may not be true in every case, or that you are giving a general opinion or summary of something.
On the ~, people miss the opportunity to enjoy leisure...
= generally
PHRASE: PHR with cl