whole cloth
noun [mass noun]
Cloth of the full size as manufactured, as distinguished from a piece cut off for a garment or other item.The distinctive patterns of quilts are created from sewn-together pieces of cloth, appliquéd cutout designs, or a solid piece of fabric called whole cloth....
- These quilts - some pieced, others whole cloth and coming in all sizes from crib to king size - tell a story of hard work, dedication and a heart of compassion for impoverished people around the world.
- First, take a piece of whole cloth, the fibers of which crisscross in a way similar to that of the skin of the perineum, and try to tear it in half.
Phrases
out of (the) whole cloth