Learn English – What does the phrase “We’ll keep you whole,” really mean

expressions

I understand it to mean possibly the following things

  • If you've been wronged, the person / entity which wronged you will reimburse you or replace what was lost or broken.
  • "Keep you alive" as in "Stay whole"
  • Something else entirely?

Best Answer

The word 'whole' means not in pieces. It connotes safety and well-being, as in 'wholesome'. It is an intentionally vague phrase, conjuring feelings more than anything else. The only precise meaning I can get from it is a promise to keep your body from being torn apart, but I'm sure even that wouldn't hold up in court.