非正式用语,用语表示强调,有类似‘很、非常’’等意思,例句:
I have a whole pile of work to do this afternoon. 我今天下午有一大堆工作要做。
The new computers are a whole lot (= much) faster. 新计算机的速度要快得多了。
We’ve got something to make your week a whole lot better. 我们有一些东西能让你的这一周变得好得多。
Things were about to get a whole lot worse. 事情就要变得非常糟糕。
He didn’t like them a whole lot. 他不太喜欢他们。
a whole lot 除了以上例句中的意思外,还有“大量”的意思,例句:
I said no, for a whole lot of reasons. 我拒绝了,原因很多。
英式英语中,还用the whole lot表示“全部,所有(人或物)”,是一种非正式用法,例句:
I offered him some chocolate, and he ate the whole lot. 我请他吃巧克力,结果他全吃了。
She’s annoyed with the whole lot of you. 她生你们所有人的气了。