entire、whole、complete、full、total、gross与all这些形容词都表示“完整的、全部的、整个的”之意。
entire : 除了有whole的意思外，还强调既不能加一个也不减少一个的含义。
- Between them they ate an entire cake.
他们两个吃了整整一个蛋糕。 - He'd spent the entire journey asleep.
他整个旅程都在睡觉。 - They got an entire set of silver cutlery as a wedding present.
他们收到了一件结婚礼物，是一整套银质餐具。
whole比entire更普通，强调每个组成部分都包括在内，无一漏掉或舍去。
- I spent the whole day cleaning.
我花了一整天打扫卫生。 - There's still a whole month till my birthday.
离我的生日还有整整1个月时间。 - After my exercise class, my whole body ached.
体育课之后，我浑身都疼。
complete : 强调事物在内容、程度、或数量方面已完整，已达标准。
- the complete works of Oscar Wilde
奥斯卡‧王尔德全集 - The report comes complete with (= including) diagrams and colour photographs.
报告中有图表和彩色图片，非常齐全。 - Sun, sand, and romance - her holiday was complete.
阳光、沙滩加上浪漫的爱情——她的假期完美无缺。
full : 侧重指内容，含有能包括所有的充足内容的意味。
- Please give your full name and address.
请提供你的全名和地址。 - We do not yet have full details of the story.
我们并没有掌握该事件的全部细节。 - Few journalists have managed to convey the full horror of the situation.
几乎没有哪个记者能完全地表达出那种情形有多恐怖。
total与complete用法相近，但强调总量。
- the total cost
全部费用 - Total losses were $800.
总损失为800美元。
gross : 侧重指未打折扣，未除去成本或皮重等与净重、净数相对。
- A person's gross income is the money they earn before tax is deducted from it.
个人总收入是指税前的收入总和。 - Once wrapped, the gross weight of the package is 2.1 kg.
包装后，这个包裹的毛重是2.1公斤。 - She earns £30,000 a year gross.
她每年的总收入是3万英镑。
all有时可与whole, entire和total换用。
- All animals have to eat in order to live.
所有动物都必须吃东西才能生存。 - She has four children, all under the age of five.
她有4个孩子，都不到5岁。 - The cast all lined up on stage to take their bow.
全体演员都在台上站成一排向观众鞠躬。
