full, adjective

Origin:
Afrikaans, British EnglishShow more Usage influenced by Afrikaans vol full, covered with; formerly used in British English, but now obsolete.
In the phrase full of, commonly used to mean ‘covered with’, ‘covered in’.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 137Jan’s clothes were too full of blood to be of any use.
1905 P. Gibbon Vrouw Grobelaar 43They went out and carried Fanie in with his clothes all draggled and his beard full of mud.
1921 W.C. Scully Harrow 73They had..been a long time in prison...They were full of horrible vermin.
1925 L.D. Flemming Crop of Chaff 47Cattle..make a..broad path along..the fence which prevents your trousers and socks getting full of grass seed as you walk up and down mending..wires.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 287I told my wife, ‘just look at my hands, full of little itching blisters’.
1972 Drum 22 Feb. 42My face is full of black spots..and I want to get rid of them.
1976 E. Prov. Herald 11 Oct. 19When the station closes the platforms are full of mice who come out of their hiding places.
1980 M. Melamu in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 52Originally black, the tube is now full of red patches where it’s been mended.
1987 P. Sydle in Personality 18 May 31I got him..in a terrible condition...He was full of ticks.
1988 E. Pople in You 21 Jan. 15 (caption)The hands of a white pipe smoker..stained yellow by the dagga and full of blisters from the searing heat of the bottle.
In the phrase full of,commonly used to mean ‘covered with’, ‘covered in’.
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18381988