Fuller

UK: /ˈfʊlə/ US: (fŏŏl′ər)

From full (adj):

fuller

adj comparative

fullest

adj superlative

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Fuller / ˈfʊlə/ noun

1. (Richard) Buckminster. 1895–1983, US architect and engineer: developed the geodesic dome
2. Roy (Broadbent). 1912–91, British poet and writer, whose collections include The Middle of a War (1942) and A Lost Season (1944), both of which are concerned with World War II, Epitaphs and Occasions (1949), and Available for Dreams (1989)
3. Thomas. 1608–61, English clergyman and antiquarian; author of The Worthies of England (1662)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

full¹ /fʊl/   adj., -er, -est, adv. 
adj. 

1. completely filled:
   a full cup.
2. containing all that can be held:
   [be + ~ + of] eyes full of tears.
3. complete;
   entire;
   maximum:
   [before a noun] a full supply of food; at full speed.
4. abundant;
   well-supplied:
   a cabinet full of medicine.
5. Clothing (of garments, drapery, etc.) wide, ample, or having large folds;
   flowing out:
   a full skirt.
6. filled or rounded out, as in form:
   has a full figure.
7. occupied with thinking of;
   having the mind focused on;
   engrossed with:
   [be + ~ + of] full of anxieties.
8. of the highest rank:
   a full professor.
9. of the same parents:
   [before a noun] full brothers, not half brothers.
10. Music and Dance ample and complete in volume or richness of sound:
    a deep, full voice.
11. having eaten as much as one can:
    feeling full from dinner.

adv. 

12. exactly or directly;
    straight:
    The blow struck him full in the face.
13. quite;
    very;
    perfectly:
    You know full well what I mean.

Idioms

14. Idioms in full:
    • to or for the full or required amount:
      We expect payment in full.

full•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

full•er¹  (fŏŏl′ər), n. 

1. Textiles a person who fulls cloth.

• Latin fullō fuller; see -er¹
• bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English fullere

full•er²  (fŏŏl′ər), n. 

1. Metallurgy a half-round hammer used for grooving and spreading iron.
2. Metallurgy a tool or part of a die for reducing the sectional area of a piece of work.
3. a groove running along the flat of a sword blade.

v.t. 

4. Metallurgy to reduce the sectional area of (a piece of metal) with a fuller or fullers.

• origin, originally noun, nominal, apparently full¹ in sense to make full, close, compact + -er¹ 1810–20

Ful•ler  (fŏŏl′ər), n. 

1. Biographical George, 1822–84, U.S. painter.
2. Biographical Henry B(lake), ("Stanton Page''), 1857–1929, U.S. novelist, poet, and critic.
Melville Wes•ton  (wes′tən), 1833–1910, Chief Justice of the U.S. 1888–1910.
3. Biographical R(ichard) Buckminster, 1895–1983, U.S. engineer, designer, and architect.
4. Biographical (Sarah) Margaret (Marchioness Ossoli), 1810–50, U.S. author and literary critic.
5. Biographical Thomas, 1608–61, English clergyman and historian.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

full¹  (fŏŏl), adj., -er, -est, adv., v., n. 
adj. 

1. completely filled;
   containing all that can be held;
   filled to utmost capacity:
   a full cup.
2. complete;
   entire;
   maximum:
   a full supply of food for a three-day hike.
3. of the maximum size, amount, extent, volume, etc.:
   a full load of five tons; to receive full pay.
4. Clothing (of garments, drapery, etc.) wide, ample, or having ample folds.
5. abundant;
   well-supplied:
   a yard full of litter; a cabinet full of medicine.
6. filled or rounded out, as in form:
   a full bust.
7. engrossed;
   occupied (usually fol. by of ):
   She was full of her own anxieties.
8. of the same parents:
   full brothers.
9. Music and Dance ample and complete in volume or richness of sound.
10. Wine (of wines) having considerable body.
11. Sport [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.
12. Ceramics being slightly oversized, as a sheet of glass cut too large to fit into a frame.
13. Games [Poker.] of or pertaining to the three cards of the same denomination in a full house:
    He won the hand with a pair of kings and sixes full.

adv. 

14. exactly or directly:
    The blow struck him full in the face.
15. very:
    You know full well what I mean.
16. fully, completely, or entirely;
    quite;
    at least:
    The blow knocked him full around. It happened full 30 years ago.

v.t. 

17. Clothing [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.

v.i. 

18. Astronomy (of the moon) to become full.

n. 

19. the highest or fullest state, condition, or degree:
    The moon is at the full.
20. Idioms in full:
    • to or for the full or required amount.
    • without abridgment:
      The book was reprinted in full.
21. Idioms to the full, to the greatest extent;
    thoroughly:
    They enjoyed themselves to the full.

• bef. 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 plé̄rēs

full′ness, n. 

full²  (fŏŏl), v.t. 

1. Textiles to cleanse and thicken (cloth) by special processes in manufacture.

v.i. 

2. Textiles (of cloth) to become compacted or felted.

• 1350–1400; Middle English fullen; back formation from fuller¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fuller / ˈfʊlə/ noun

1. a person who fulls cloth for his or her living

Etymology: Old English fullere, from Latin fullō

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

full / fʊl/ adjective

1. holding or containing as much as possible; filled to capacity or near capacity
2. abundant in supply, quantity, number, etc: full of energy
3. having consumed enough food or drink
4. (esp of the face or figure) rounded or plump; not thin
5. (prenominal) with no part lacking; complete: a full dozen
6. (prenominal) with all privileges, rights, etc; not restricted: a full member
7. (prenominal) of, relating to, or designating a relationship established by descent from the same parents: full brother
8. filled with emotion or sentiment: a full heart
9. (postpositive) followed by of: occupied or engrossed (with): full of his own projects
10. powerful or rich in volume and sound
11. completing a piece or section; concluding: a full close
12. (of a garment, esp a skirt) containing a large amount of fabric; of ample cut
13. (of sails, etc) distended by wind
14. (of wine, such as a burgundy) having a heavy body
15. (of a colour) containing a large quantity of pure hue as opposed to white or grey; rich; saturated
16. drunk
17. full and by ⇒
    another term for close-hauled
18. full of oneself ⇒ full of pride or conceit; egoistic
19. full up ⇒ filled to capacity
20. in full swing ⇒ at the height of activity: the party was in full swing

adverb

1. completely; entirely
2. (in combination): full-grown, full-fledged
3. exactly; directly; right: the boxer was hit full in the stomach
4. very; extremely (esp in the phrase full well)

noun

1. the greatest degree, extent, etc
2. in full ⇒ without omitting, decreasing, or shortening: we paid in full for our mistake
3. to the full ⇒ to the greatest extent; thoroughly; fully

verb

1. (transitive) to gather or tuck
2. (intransitive) (of the moon) to be fully illuminated

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

ˈfullness, ˈfulness noun

full / fʊl/ verb

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

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French fouler, ultimately from Latin fullō a fuller¹