Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
whole works

whole works

2 3.9
Everything included, for example all parts or options
  • noun
  • Informal
translation icon : todo
  • He bought the whole works for his new home: furniture, decor, and all the essentials.

Examples

  • So I got to get rid of the whole works.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • - Oh, yeah, milk, butter, eggs, the whole works.

    Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)

  • The whole works, that's what I want.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • For the big celebration, she prepared the whole works, including appetizers, main courses, and desserts.

  • The event featured the whole works, from live music and food vendors to games and activities.

Synonyms

the works
vswhole works
  • Informal
55 3.8

Everything extra you can have, like extra burger toppings or a full spa service

is the general idea of all parts without extra emphasis
whole shebang
vswhole works
  • Informal
7 8.0

Everything that is part of something

is the neutral expression for the same totality, not casual
kit and caboodle
vswhole works
  • Informal
5 7.7

All the things and people in a group or place

is the neutral expression for all possible parts and options
whole kit and caboodle
vswhole works
  • Informal
4 6.7

All the things and people connected with something

is a more neutral phrase used for all possible parts or options
whole kit
vswhole works
  • Informal
3 5.2

All the things you need for an activity, like tools and supplies

is the full neutral phrase for all parts rather than a shortened informal form
full treatment
vswhole works
3 3.6

All the extra services and options included with a product or service

is the general idea of all parts or options beyond services
whole caboodle
vswhole works
  • Informal
1 7.7

All the things or people involved

focuses on all parts or options rather than grouping people
whole kit and boodle
vswhole works
  • Informal
6.7

All the things in a group or set

is the general term for all parts without requiring that wording
kit and boodle
vswhole works
  • Informal
9.3

All the things and people together

is the general term for all parts or options, not necessarily focused on people

How Complete

whole works
  • Informal
2 3.9
standard
675 2.7
bare-bones
6 4.2

Surface Forms

whole works singular
whole works plural

Morphology

whole + works

The element 'whole' clearly signals entirety, and a learner who knows 'works' can plausibly infer 'the complete set of components/options', so part of the meaning is compositional. However, 'works' in this collocation functions as a somewhat idiomatic plural meaning 'the lot' or 'everything included', a usage that is not fully predictable from the basic noun sense and may vary cross-linguistically, so prior exposure aids understanding.

Etymology

Whole works may come from old shops that offered the works, meaning a full job that fixed or added every part. Adding whole made it clear nothing was left out, so today whole works means 'everything' or 'all the parts'.