whip Hear it!

Jump To: synonymsSynonyms · examplesUsage Examples · quotesQuotes · linkLink/Cite
Also found in: idiomsAH Idiom Dictionary
whip definition

whip (hwip, wip)

transitive verb whipped or whipt, whipping whip′·ping

  1. to move, pull, jerk, snatch, throw, etc. suddenly: usually with out, off, up, etc. to whip out a knife
    1. to strike, as with a strap or rod; lash; beat
    2. to punish in this manner
  2. to force, drive, compel, or urge by or as by whipping
  3. to strike as a whip does the rain whipped her face
  4. to attack with stinging words; flay
  5. to wind (cord or thread) around (a rope, etc.) so as to prevent fraying
  6. to fish (a stream, etc.) by making repeated casts with a rod and line
  7. to beat (egg whites, cream, etc.) with a fork, whisk, mixer, etc. so as to incorporate air and make frothy
  8. to sew (a seam or hem) with a loose, overcasting or overhand stitch
  9. Informal to defeat or outdo, as in a contest
  10. Naut. to hoist by means of a rope passing through an overhead pulley

Etymology: ME whippen < MDu wippen, to swing, move up and down < IE *weib-, to turn, swing: see vibrate

intransitive verb

  1. to move, go, or pass quickly and suddenly he whipped down the stairs
  2. to flap or thrash about in a whiplike manner flags whipping in high wind
  3. to cast with a fishing rod, using a quick, whiplike motion

noun

  1. an instrument for striking or flogging, consisting generally of a stiff or flexible rod with a lash attached to one end
  2. a blow, cut, etc. made with or as with a whip
  3. a person who uses a whip, as a coachman or a huntsman who whips on the hounds
    1. an officer of a political party, as in Congress or Parliament, who maintains discipline and enforces attendance
    2. Brit. a call issued to party members in a lawmaking body to be in attendance to vote on a certain issue a three-line whip
  4. a whipping motion
  5. a dessert made of sugar and whipped cream, stiffly beaten egg whites, or gelatin, and often fruit
  6. something resembling a whip in its action, as a windmill vane, kind of eggbeater, etc.
  7. a hoisting apparatus consisting of a single rope passing through an overhead pulley
  8. a flexible vertical rod for use as a radio antenna

Etymology: ME whippe < MDu wippe

whip Idioms

whip in

to bring together or assemble, as a party whip does

whip into shape

Informal to bring by vigorous action into the proper or desired condition

whip up

  1. to rouse; excite to whip up enthusiasm
  2. Informal to prepare quickly and efficiently

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
whip Synonyms

whip

n.

switch, strap, rod, birch rod, ruler, cane, lash, scourge, knotted cord, knout, cat-o'-nine-tails, thong, blacksnake, dog whip, ox whip, bull whip, horsewhip, buggy whip, riding whip, riding crop, quirt, taws.


whip

v.

  1. To flog

    thrash, flog, lash, scourge; see beat 2, punish.

  2. *To defeat

    rout, trounce, outdo; see defeat 1, 3.

  3. To stir

    beat, stir, whisk; see mix 1. See syn. study at beat.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

whip Usage Examples

Object

  • ass: So, how was he able to whip the asses of two heavily armed robbers?

Converse of object

  • resign: June 1934 Joseph Hunter ( MP for Dumfries ) resigns the Liberal whip to join the Liberal National party.

Adjective modifier

  • Unionist: May 1935 Katherine Marjory Stewart Murray, Duchess of Atholl DBE ( MP for Kinross & West Perthshire ) has the Unionist whip removed.

Modifies a noun

  • coral: A little deeper there is a forest of whip coral covering 30 or more square meters of the hard coral bed.

Noun used with modifier

  • three-line: In the House of Commons the Tories imposed a three-line whip to refuse the Bill of Rights a first reading.

Preposition: in

  • cross: Scarborough whip in a fast cross which could have been dangerous.
whip usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

whip quotes

The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.

-Bible (Apocrypha)

When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended for self-flagellation solely.

-Capote,Truman

When a white man in Africa by accident looks into the eyes of a native and sees the human being (which it ishis chief preoccupation to avoid), his sense of guilt, which he denies, fumes up in resentment and he brings down the whip.

-Lessing, Doris May ne¤  e Tayler

whip quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"whip." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/whip>

APA Style

whip. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/whip

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment