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whip

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also:WHIP

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Englishwhippen,wippen(“to flap violently”),fromMiddle Dutchwippen(“to swing, leap, dance, oscillate”)andMiddle Low Germanwippen(“to move quickly”),fromProto-Germanic*wipjaną(“to move back and forth”).Some similarity to Sanskrit rootवेप्(vep,“shake, flourish”),Latinvibrō(“I shake”).(See Swedishvippaand Danishvippe(“to shake”)).

The unetymologicalwh-is probably expressive of the sound of a whip; compare the same development inwhiskand onomatopoeias such aswhackandwhoosh.

The political senses are fromwhipper-in(“huntsman who keeps the hounds from wandering”),18th century hunting terminology.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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whip(pluralwhips)

  1. Alash;apliant,flexibleinstrument, such as arod(commonly ofcaneorrattan) or aplaitedorbraidedropeorthong(commonly of leather) used to create a sharp "crack" sound for directing or herding animals.
    I had to use thewhipto get the sheep's attention.
    1. The same instrument used to strike a person or animal forcorporal punishmentortorture.
      Once he ran out of appeals, he knew he would soon feel the sting of thewhip.
  2. Ablowadministered with a whip.
    • 1832,The Atheneum,volume31,page493:
      I had hardly said the word, when Kit jumped into the saddle, and gave his horse awhipand a spur — and off it cantered, as if it were in as great a hurry to be married as Kit himself.
  3. (hunting)Awhipper-in.
    • 1847January –1848July,William Makepeace Thackeray,Vanity Fair[…],London:Bradbury and Evans[…],published1848,→OCLC:
      At half-past ten, Tom Moody, Sir Huddlestone Fuddlestone's huntsman, was seen trotting up the avenue, followed by the noble pack of hounds in a compact body—the rear being brought up by the twowhipsclad in stained scarlet frocks—light hard-featured lads on well-bred lean horses, possessing marvellous dexterity in casting the points of their long heavy whips at the thinnest part of any dog's skin who dares to straggle from the main body[…]
    • 1928,Siegfried Sassoon,Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man,Penguin, published2013,page27:
      From the far side of the wood came the long shrill screech[…]which signifies that one of thewhipshas viewed the fox quitting the covert.
  4. (politics)A member of apoliticalpartywho is in charge of enforcing the party'spoliciesinvotes.
    Synonyms:party whip,whipper-in
    I was going to vote against the bill, but the partywhipcame to see me and made it clear I needed to vote for it.
    • 2022June 30, “Tory deputy chief whip resigns after ‘drunkenly groping two men’”, inThe Guardian‎[1]:
      The Conservative deputy chiefwhiphas resigned after admitting he had “embarrassed myself and other people” following reports that he drunkenly groped two men at a private club.
    • 2022November 16, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, inRAIL,number970,page44:
      Therefore, welcome new Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, a man about whom even my esteemed political journalist friends know little - apart from the fact he was once ChiefWhip,a job that requires knowing about every Tory MP's misdemeanours.
  5. (UK politics,with definite article)A document distributed weekly toMPsby party whips informing them of upcoming votes in parliament.
  6. (UK politics,by extension)The regular status of anMPwithin a parliamentary party, which can be revoked by the party as a disciplinary measure.
    to withdraw thewhip
    • 2022July 20, Heather Stewart, “Tobias Ellwood temporarily given back Tory whip to vote in leadership contest”, inThe Guardian‎[2]:
      As a result, he was stripped of thewhipon Tuesday, preventing him from voting in the fourth ballot to narrow down candidates to be the next party leader.
    • 2022December 7, Peter Walker, “Row grows over Matt Hancock’s announcement he is quitting as MP”, inThe Guardian‎[3]:
      In the letter, Hancock said he had spoken to the Conservatives’ chief whip, Simon Hart, last week, and been told thewhipwould be restored in time, “but that is now not necessary” – meaning he will sit as an independent until the next election.
  7. Whipped cream.
    Did you want to add somewhipto your coffee, ma'am?
  8. (nautical)Apurchasein which oneblockis used to gain a 2:1mechanical advantage.
  9. (African-American Vernacular,MTE)A mode of personalmotorizedtransportation;anautomobile,all makes and models includingmotorcycles,excluding public transportation.
    • 2015,Stormzy(lyrics and music), “Shut Up”(track 15), inGang Signs & Prayer,performed by Stormzy:
      Had four bills and I bought me a car / Little redwhipthat I bought for my marge
    • 2017,Stormzy,Return of the Rucksack:
      BigwhipI'm underground parking
    Come on, let's take mywhipso we can get there in time.
  10. (roller derby)A move in which one player transfers momentum to another.
    Hyponym:hip whip
  11. A whipping motion; a thrashing about.
    I was startled by thewhipof the rope when it finally snapped.
  12. The quality of being whiplike or flexible; suppleness, as of the shaft of a golf club.
  13. Any of various pieces that operate with a quick vibratory motion
    1. A spring in certain electrical devices for making a circuit
    2. (music)Awippen,a rocking component in certain piano actions.
  14. (historical)Acoachdriver;acoachman.
    • 1871,Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes,volume20,page308:
      Lord Carington[…]led the way with his chestnuts, having a distinguished brotherwhip,Lord Londesborough, by his side.

Synonyms

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Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • →Irish:fuip
  • ⇒Jamaican Creole:wip

Translations

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Verb

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whip(third-person singular simple presentwhips,present participlewhipping,simple past and past participlewhipped)

  1. (transitive)Tohitwith a whip.
    The riderwhippedthe horse.
  2. (transitive,by extension)To hit with any flexible object.
    Iwhippedher with a newspaper.
  3. (transitive,slang)Todefeat,as in a contest or game.
    • 2008,Edward Keating,The Joy of Ex: A Novel:
      Shewhipsme in the first game of pool, I do not even get a shot. Eight-balled from the break.
  4. (transitive)Tomixin a rapid aerating fashion, especiallyfood.
    towhipeggs or cream
  5. (transitive)Tourgeinto action or obedience.
    Hewhippedthe department into shape.
  6. (transitive,politics)To enforce a member voting in accordance with party policy.
  7. (transitive,nautical)To bind the end of aropewithtwineor othersmall stuffto prevent itsunlaying:frayingorunravelling.
    • 1677-1683,Joseph Moxon,Mechanick exercises
      Its string[…]is firmly whipt about with small Gut
  8. (transitive,nautical)To hoist or purchase by means of a whip.
  9. Tosewlightly; specifically, to form (a fabric) intogathersby looselyovercastingthe rolled edge and drawing up the thread.
    towhipa ruffle
  10. (transitive)Tothroworkickan object at a high velocity.
    Synonyms:fling,hurl;see alsoThesaurus:throw
    Hewhippedthe ball at me.
    • 2010December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, inBBC‎[4]:
      Composed play then saw Sam Ricketts nutmeg Ashley Cole before Taylorwhippeda fine curling effort over Petr Cech's bar.
  11. (transitive,intransitive)Tofisha body ofwaterespecially by making repeatedcasts.
  12. (intransitive)To snap back and forth like a whip.
    The pennantswhippedin the wind.
  13. (intransitive)To move very fast.
    The windwhippedthrough the valley.
  14. (transitive)To move (something) very fast; often withup,out,etc.
  15. (transitive,roller derby)To transfer momentum from oneskaterto another.
  16. (figurative)To lash with sarcasm, abuse, etc.
  17. Tothrash;to beat out, asgrain,by striking.
    towhipwheat

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Terms derived fromwhip(verb)

Translations

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Translations to be checked

See also

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References

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  • Samuel Johnson, John Walker, Robert S. Jameson: 1828. A dictionary of the English language 2nd edition. Publisher: William Pickering, 1828. 831 pages. Page 818. Google Public Domain Books:[5]

Further reading

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