whip

WIP/wɪp/

33 meanings of whip

1
nouncountable
A long thin tool used to hit a person or animal as a punishment.
The cruel master raised his whip over the frightened prisoner.
In the old story, the sailor was beaten with a whip for stealing bread.
Similarlash, scourge
2
nouncountable
A long thin tool of leather or cane that makes a loud crack, used to guide animals.
The farmer cracked his whip to move the cows along.
She hung the whip by the barn door after the ride.
Similarlash
Note
3
verbtransitive
To hit a person or animal with a whip.
Long ago, drivers would whip their horses to make them go faster.
The trainer was fired for whipping a tired racehorse.
Similarlash, flog, beat, thrash
4
verbtransitive
To stir food very fast so that air gets into it and it becomes light.
Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
Dad whipped the eggs with a fork before making the omelet.
Similarwhisk, beat
5
noununcountable
Cream that has been beaten until it is thick and fluffy.
Can I get extra whip on my hot chocolate?
She put a big spoonful of whip on each slice of pie.
Note
6
nouncountable
A person in a political party whose job is to make sure other members vote the way the party wants.
Like a team captain who makes sure every player follows the coach's plan.
The party whip called every member before the big vote.
He worked as the whip for his party for six years.
Note
7
verbintransitive
To move very quickly from one place to another.
Cold winds whip across the open field in January.
A police car whipped past us on the highway.
Similarrace, dash, zip, zoom, whiz
Note
8
verbtransitive
To move something very quickly, often pulling it out or up.
He whipped out his phone to take a photo.
Magicians whip the cloth off the table without disturbing the dishes.
Similarwhisk, snatch, pull, yank
Note
9
nouncountable
One hit or strike given with a whip.
Each whip left a thin red mark on the horse's side.
Two quick whips on its side got the stubborn mule moving.
Similarlash, stroke
Note
10
verbtransitive
To hit someone or something with an object that bends, like a towel or a thin branch.
The boys whipped each other with wet towels in the locker room.
Low branches whip your face if you ride too close to the trees.
Similarbeat, strike, lash, thrash

11
verbtransitive
To push or drive someone hard until they act or obey.
The coach whipped the team into shape before the season started.
Sometimes you have to whip a slow committee just to get a decision.
Similardrive, goad, spur, push
Note
12
verbintransitive
To snap or swing back and forth very fast.
Flags whip in the strong wind on top of the building.
Her long hair whipped around her face as the boat sped up.
Similarlash, thrash, flail, flap, snap
13
verbtransitive
To throw or kick something very hard and fast.
He whipped the ball across the field to his teammate.
Don't whip snowballs at passing cars.
Similarthrow, hurl, fling, chuck, toss
Note
14
nouncountable
A quick, sharp movement that snaps back and forth.
With a whip of its tail, the fish was gone.
The dancer's quick whip of the head surprised the audience.
Similarlash, flick, snap, swish
15
verbfigurativelytransitive
To attack someone with sharp or cruel words.
The comedian whipped the politician with joke after joke.
Critics whip new movies harshly when the story makes no sense.
Similarsavage, lash, slam, maul, lambaste
Oppositepraise
Note
16
nouncountable
A casual word for someone's car or motorcycle.
He just got a new whip and drove it to school today.
Her whip broke down on the highway, so she had to call a friend.
Similarride, car, wheels
Note
17
verbtransitive
To make a politician vote the way their political party wants.
Like a coach making every player follow the same game plan.
Party leaders whipped their members to support the new law.
The party will whip its senators on the budget vote next week.
Note
18
verbslangtransitive
To beat someone badly in a game or contest.
Our team whipped them ten to two last night.
I bet she can whip anyone in this room at chess.
Similarbeat, thrash, trounce, crush, hammer
Note
19
noununcountable
The springy, bendy quality of something long and thin, like a fishing rod.
This fishing rod has a lot of whip, so it bends when you cast.
The diving board had enough whip to send her high into the air.
Similarflex, springiness, give
20
verbtransitive
To hit grain plants hard so the seeds fall out.
Farmers used to whip the wheat against a board to get the grain out.
He whipped the dried beans until the pods broke open.
Similarthresh, flail, beat
21
nounUKcountablewith the
A weekly note from a political party telling its members of parliament about votes coming up.
Every Friday the whip arrived in her office, listing next week's votes.
He checked the whip to see which votes he had to attend.
Note
22
nounUKuncountable
A politician's official place in their party in parliament, which the party can take away to punish them.
After he voted against his party, he lost the whip.
The party gave her back the whip a year after the dispute.
Note
23
verbtransitive or intransitive
To fish in a river or lake by throwing your line out again and again.
We whipped the small lake all morning but caught nothing.
He likes to whip the river near the old bridge at sunrise.
Similarfish
Note
24
verbtransitive
To wrap thin string tightly around the end of a rope so it does not come apart.
Sailors whip the ends of their ropes to stop them from fraying.
He whipped the rope's end with strong thread before coiling it up.
Note
25
verbtransitive
To sew cloth with light, loose stitches over the edge.
She whipped the edge of the cloth so it would not fray.
Grandma taught me to whip a hem with tiny, quick stitches.
Similarovercast, oversew
Note
26
noun
A person who helps control the dogs during a hunt.
27
noun
A person who drove a horse-drawn coach in the past.
28
noun
A rope and a single pulley used together to lift things more easily.
29
verb
To lift something using a rope and a pulley.
30
noun
A move in roller derby where one skater gives another a pull to make them go faster.
31
noun
A metal spring that connects a circuit.
32
noun
A rocking part inside some pianos that passes movement from a key toward the hammer.
33
verb
In skating, to pass speed between teammates by pulling or swinging.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of whip apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English whippen, meaning "to flap violently," which came from Dutch and Low German words for moving quickly or swinging back and forth. The wh- sound probably imitates the sound of a whip.