full

[foo l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR full ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, full·er, full·est.

completely filled; containing all that can be held; filled to utmost capacity: a full cup.

complete; entire; maximum: a full supply of food for a three-day hike.

of the maximum size, amount, extent, volume, etc.: a full load of five tons; to receive full pay.

(of garments, drapery, etc.) wide, ample, or having ample folds.

abundant; well-supplied: a yard full of litter; a cabinet full of medicine.

filled or rounded out, as in form: a full bust.

engrossed; occupied (usually followed by of): She was full of her own anxieties.

of the same parents: full brothers.

Music. ample and complete in volume or richness of sound.

(of wines) having considerable body.

Baseball.

(of the count on a batter) amounting to three balls and two strikes: He hit a slider for a homer on a full count.
having base runners at first, second, and third bases; loaded.

being slightly oversized, as a sheet of glass cut too large to fit into a frame.

Poker. of or relating to the three cards of the same denomination in a full house: He won the hand with a pair of kings and sixes full.

adverb

exactly or directly: The blow struck him full in the face.

very: You know full well what I mean.

fully, completely, or entirely; quite; at least: The blow knocked him full around. It happened full 30 years ago.

verb (used with object)

Sewing.

to make full, as by gathering or pleating.
to bring (the cloth) on one side of a seam to a little greater fullness than on the other by gathering or tucking very slightly.

verb (used without object)

(of the moon) to become full.

noun

the highest or fullest state, condition, or degree: The moon is at the full.

Idioms

in full,

to or for the full or required amount.
without abridgment: The book was reprinted in full.

to the full, to the greatest extent; thoroughly: They enjoyed themselves to the full.

Origin of full

before 900; Middle English, Old English full, ful; cognate with Gothic fulls, Old Norse fullr, Old High German foll (German voll); akin to Latin plēnus, Greek plḗrēs

Related formsfull·ness, noun

Can be confusedfull fullness fulsome (see usage note at fulsome)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for fullest

entire, complete, crowded, big, sufficient, chock-full, adequate, intact, packed, perfect, detailed, comprehensive, maximum, generous, broad, extensive, exhaustive, whole, absolute, clear

Examples from the Web for fullest

Contemporary Examples of fullest

And he used that resource to its fullest 128 years ago this week.
128 Years Old and Still a Looker: Happy Birthday to Lady Liberty
Elizabeth Mitchell
October 28, 2014
It is there that you get the fullest sense of majesty and tragedy of this city transformed.
The Resilient City: New York After 9/11
John Avlon
September 11, 2014
This is the way he understands life, to live it to its fullest.
It Ain't Easy Being Bisexual on TV
Amy Zimmerman
August 14, 2014
The researchers pressed for the fullest description of exactly what happened.
The NRA's Nightmarish Worldview
David Frum
December 24, 2012
These ideas find their fullest expression in “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius.”
What Karl Rove Learned From Jorge Luis Borges
Alec Nevala-Lee
November 20, 2012

Historical Examples of fullest

All vegetables are in the highest state of perfection, and fullest of juice and flavour, just before they begin to flower.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,
Mary Eaton
He intended to shock them to the fullest extent of the word's meaning.
Fair Harbor
Joseph Crosby Lincoln
Conscious of this immense privilege, she takes the fullest advantage of it.
England and Germany
Emile Joseph Dillon
Nature has expended her bounties in fullest measure for the vineyard.
Manual of American Grape-Growing
U. P. Hedrick
Are they not already in the fullest flower, and big and mature as they are ever likely to be?
Social Justice Without Socialism
John Bates Clark

British Dictionary definitions for fullest

full

adjective

holding or containing as much as possible; filled to capacity or near capacity

abundant in supply, quantity, number, etcfull of energy

having consumed enough food or drink

(esp of the face or figure) rounded or plump; not thin

(prenominal) with no part lacking; completea full dozen

(prenominal) with all privileges, rights, etc; not restricteda full member

(prenominal) of, relating to, or designating a relationship established by descent from the same parentsfull brother

filled with emotion or sentimenta full heart

(postpositive foll by of) occupied or engrossed (with)full of his own projects

music

powerful or rich in volume and sound
completing a piece or section; concludinga full close

(of a garment, esp a skirt) containing a large amount of fabric; of ample cut

(of sails, etc) distended by wind

(of wine, such as a burgundy) having a heavy body

(of a colour) containing a large quantity of pure hue as opposed to white or grey; rich; saturated

informal drunk

full and by nautical another term for close-hauled

full of oneself full of pride or conceit; egoistic

full up filled to capacitythe cinema was full up

in full cry (esp of a pack of hounds) in hot pursuit of quarry

in full swing at the height of activitythe party was in full swing

adverb

completely; entirely
(in combination)full-grown; full-fledged

exactly; directly; righthe hit him full in the stomach

very; extremely (esp in the phrase full well)

full out with maximum effort or speed

noun

the greatest degree, extent, etc

British a ridge of sand or shingle along a seashore

in full without omitting, decreasing, or shorteningwe paid in full for our mistake

to the full to the greatest extent; thoroughly; fully

verb

(tr) needlework to gather or tuck

(intr) (of the moon) to be fully illuminated

Derived Formsfullness or esp US fulness, noun

Word Origin for full

Old English; related to Old Norse fullr, Old High German foll, Latin plēnus, Greek plērēs; see fill

full

verb

(of cloth, yarn, etc) to become or to make (cloth, yarn, etc) heavier and more compact during manufacture through shrinking and beating or pressing

Word Origin for full

C14: from Old French fouler, ultimately from Latin fullō a fuller 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fullest

full

adj.

Old English full "completely, full, perfect, entire, utter," from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (cf. Old Saxon full, Old Frisian ful, Old Norse fullr, Old High German fol, German voll, Gothic fulls), from PIE *pele- (1) "to fill" (see poly-).

Adverbial sense was common in Middle English (full well, full many, etc.). Related: Fuller; fullest. Full moon was Old English fulles monan; first record of full-blood in relation to racial purity is from 1812. Full house is 1710 in the theatrical sense, 1887 in the poker sense.

full

"to tread or beat cloth to cleanse or thicken it," late 14c., from Old French fouler, from Latin fullo (see foil (v.)); Old English had the agent-noun fullere, probably directly from Latin fullo.

Idioms and Phrases with fullest

full

In addition to the idioms beginning with full

full blast
full circle, come
full of beans
full of crap
full of hot air
full of it
full of oneself
full speed ahead
full swing
full tilt, at
full well

also see:

glass is half full
have one's hands full
in full swing
to the full

Also see underfill.