a. [ Compar. Wholesomer superl. Wholesomest. ] [ Whole + some; cf. Icel. heilsamr, G. heilsam, D. heilzaam. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 1. Tending to promote health; favoring health; salubrious; salutary. [ 1913 Webster ] Wholesome thirst and appetite. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] From which the industrious poor derive an agreeable and wholesome variety of food. A Smith. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Contributing to the health of the mind; favorable to morals, religion, or prosperity; conducive to good; salutary; sound; as, wholesome advice; wholesome doctrines; wholesome truths; wholesome laws. [ 1913 Webster ] A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Prov. xv. 4. [ 1913 Webster ] I can not . . . make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] A wholesome suspicion began to be entertained. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Sound; healthy. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] -- Whole"some*ly, adv. -- Whole"some*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ] |