whim

whim

noun \ˈhwim, ˈwim\

Definition of WHIM

1

: a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind : fancy <quit his job on a whim>

2

: a large capstan that is made with one or more radiating arms to which a horse may be yoked and that is used in mines for raising ore or water

Examples of WHIM

1. It's hard to predict voters' whims.
2. <on a whim, we stopped at the roadside stand to get ice cream>

Origin of WHIM

short for whim-wham

First Known Use: 1686

Related to WHIM

Synonyms

bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, humor, kink, maggot, megrim, notion, vagary, vagrancy, whimsy (also whimsey), bee in one's bonnet

Related Words

capriciousness, fancifulness, fantasy (also phantasy), freakishness, impetuosity, whimsicality; conceit; concept, conception, image, impression, mind's eye, picture, thought; brainstorm, inspiration

See Synonym Discussion at caprice

Rhymes with WHIM

bream, brim, dim, glim, grim, Grimm, gym, him, hymn, limb, limn, mim, nim, prim, rim, scrim, shim, skim, slim, swim, Tim, trim, vim