whole|grains /hoʊ lgre I nz/ also whole grains The forms wholegrain and whole-grain are used as modifiers. N‑PLURAL Wholegrains are the grains of cereals such as wheat and maize that have not been processed. □ Fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains are rich in potassium. □ …crusty wholegrain bread.
whole|hearted /hoʊ lhɑː r t I d/ also whole-hearted ADJ If you support or agree to something in a wholehearted way, you support or agree to it enthusiastically and completely. [EMPHASIS ] □ The Government deserves our wholehearted support for having taken a step in this direction. ● whole|hearted|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ That's exactly right. I agree wholeheartedly with you.
whole|meal /hoʊ lmiːl/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Wholemeal flour is made from the complete grain of the wheat plant, including the outer part. Wholemeal bread or pasta is made from wholemeal flour. [BRIT ] □ …a slice of wholemeal toast. in AM, use wholewheat 2 N‑UNCOUNT Wholemeal means wholemeal bread or wholemeal flour. [BRIT ] □ …one slice of white and one of wholemeal. in AM, use wholewheat
whole|ness /hoʊ lnəs/ N‑UNCOUNT Wholeness is the quality of being complete or a single unit and not broken or divided into parts. □ …the need for wholeness and harmony in mind, body and spirit.
who le note (whole notes ) N‑COUNT A whole note is a musical note that has a time value equal to two half notes. [AM ] in BRIT, use semibreve
who le nu m|ber (whole numbers ) N‑COUNT A whole number is an exact number such as 1, 7, and 24, as opposed to a number with fractions or decimals.
whole|sale /hoʊ lse I l/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Wholesale is the activity of buying and selling goods in large quantities and therefore at cheaper prices, usually to shopkeepers who then sell them to the public. Compare retail . [BUSINESS ] □ Warehouse clubs allow members to buy goods at wholesale prices. □ I am in the wholesale trade.
2 ADV [ADV after v] If something is sold wholesale , it is sold in large quantities and at cheaper prices, usually to shopkeepers. [BUSINESS ] □ [+ to ] The fabrics are sold wholesale to retailers, fashion houses, and other manufacturers.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] You use wholesale to describe the destruction, removal, or changing of something when it affects a very large number of things or people. [EMPHASIS ] □ They are only doing what is necessary to prevent wholesale destruction of vegetation.
whole|sal|er /hoʊ lse I lə r / (wholesalers ) N‑COUNT A wholesaler is a person whose business is buying large quantities of goods and selling them in smaller amounts, for example to shops. [BUSINESS ]
whole|sal|ing /hoʊ lse I l I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Wholesaling is the activity of buying or selling goods in large amounts, especially in order to sell them in shops or supermarkets. Compare retailing . [BUSINESS ]
whole|some /hoʊ lsəm/
1 ADJ If you describe something as wholesome , you approve of it because you think it is likely to have a positive influence on people's behaviour or mental state, especially because it does not involve anything sexually immoral. [APPROVAL ] □ …good, wholesome fun.
2 ADJ If you describe food as wholesome , you approve of it because you think it is good for your health. [APPROVAL ] □ …fresh, wholesome ingredients. □ The food is filling and wholesome.
whole|wheat /hoʊ l h wiːt/ also whole wheat
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Wholewheat flour is made from the complete grain of the wheat plant, including the outer part. Wholewheat bread or pasta is made from wholewheat flour. □ …vegetables with wholewheat noodles.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Wholewheat means wholewheat bread or wholewheat flour. □ …a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat.
who'll /huː l, huːl/ Who'll is a spoken form of 'who will' or 'who shall'.
whol|ly /hoʊ lli/ ADV [ADV adj] You use wholly to emphasize the extent or degree to which something is the case. [EMPHASIS ] □ While the two are only days apart in age they seem to belong to wholly different generations. □ For urban areas this approach was wholly inadequate.
who lly-o wned sub|si di|ary (wholly-owned subsidiaries ) N‑COUNT A wholly-owned subsidiary is a company whose shares are all owned by another company. [BUSINESS ] □ The Locomotive Construction Company Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trust.
whom ◆◆◇ /huː m/ Whom is used in formal or written English instead of 'who' when it is the object of a verb or preposition. 1 PRON You use whom in questions when you ask about the name or identity of a person or group of people. □ 'I want to send a telegram.'—'Fine, to whom?' □ Whom did he expect to answer his phone?
2 CONJ You use whom after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, to introduce a clause where you talk about the name or identity of a person or a group of people. □ He asked whom I'd told about his having been away.
3 PRON You use whom at the beginning of a relative clause when specifying the person or group of people you are talking about or when giving more information about them. □ One writer in whom I had taken an interest was Immanuel Velikovsky.
whom|ever /huːme və r / CONJ Whomever is a formal word for whoever when it is the object of a verb or preposition.
whoop / h wuː p, [AM ] huː p/ (whoops , whooping , whooped )
1 VERB If you whoop , you shout loudly in a very happy or excited way. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] She whoops with delight at a promise of money. ● N‑COUNT Whoop is also a noun. □ Scattered groans and whoops broke out in the crowd.
2 → see also whoops
whoo|pee / h wʊpiː / EXCLAM People sometimes shout ' whoopee ' when they are very happy or excited. [INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ I can have a lie in tomorrow. Whoopee!