whip

1 of 2

verb

whipped; whipping

transitive verb

1
: to take, pull, snatch, jerk, or otherwise move very quickly and forcefully
whipped out his gunGreen Peyton
2
a(1)
: to strike with a slender lithe implement (such as a lash or rod) especially as a punishment
(2)
: spank
b
: to drive or urge on by or as if by using a whip
c
: to strike as a lash does
rain whipped the pavement
3
a
: to bind or wrap (something, such as a rope or fishing rod) with cord for protection and strength
b
: to wind or wrap around something
4
: to belabor with stinging words : abuse
5
: to seam or hem with shallow overcasting stitches
6
: to overcome decisively : defeat
7
: to stir up : incite
usually used with up
trying to whip up a new emotionEllen Glasgow
8
: to produce in a hurry
usually used with up
a sketch … an artist might whip upThe New York Times
9
: to fish (water) with rod, line, and artificial lure
10
: to beat (eggs, cream, etc.) into a froth with a utensil (such as a whisk or fork)
11
: to gather together or hold together for united action in the manner of a party whip

intransitive verb

1
: to proceed nimbly or quickly
whipping through the supper dishesC. B. Davis
2
: to thrash about flexibly in the manner of a whiplash
a flag … whipping out from its staffH. A. Calahan
whipper noun

whip

2 of 2

noun

1
: an instrument consisting usually of a handle and lash forming a flexible rod that is used for whipping
2
: a stroke or cut with or as if with a whip
3
a
: a dessert made by whipping a portion of the ingredients
prune whip
b
: a kitchen utensil made of braided or coiled wire or perforated metal with a handle and used in whipping
4
: one that handles a whip: such as
a
: a driver of horses : coachman
5
a
: a member of a legislative body appointed by a political party to enforce party discipline and to secure the attendance of party members at important sessions
b
often capitalized : a notice of forthcoming business sent weekly to each member of a political party in the British House of Commons
6
: a whipping or thrashing motion
7
: the quality of resembling a whip especially in being flexible
8
whiplike adjective
Phrases
whip into shape
: to bring forcefully to a desired state or condition

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a whip in politics?

In political contexts the word whip refers to a member of a legislature (such as the U.S. Congress or the British Parliament) who is appointed by a political party to make sure that other members are present when votes are taken and that they do the things that they are expected to do.

What is a whip in slang?

Whip has been used as a slang word for "car" since the late 20th century. It's also used as a verb meaning "to drive (a car)."

What does whipped mean in slang use?

In slang use, if someone in a romantic relationship is whipped, they let their romantic partner have a great deal of control over what they do, where they go, etc.

Examples of whip in a Sentence

Verb The jockey whipped his horse. The riders were getting whipped around on the roller coaster. He suddenly whipped out a gun. He whipped off his jacket. The flag was whipping in the strong wind. A small branch whipped back and hit him. The wind whipped the ship's sails. The shortstop whipped the ball to first base. The winger whipped a pass toward the net. Noun The rider cracked his whip and the horse began to run.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In court filings, Walters alleged Warner forced her hand into his underwear, whipped her, threw dishes at her, pushed her into a wall, broke down doors to get to her, charged at her, and forced her to stay awake for 48 hours straight, one time requiring her to stand on a chair for 12 hours. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 The whole menu feels like a tireless attempt to surprise and delight with dishes like mushroom stroganoff ($32), Korean short rib pasta ($48) and whipped butternut squash ($19). The Indianapolis Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Winslet quickly whipped her head around and trained her eyes back toward the ocean. Susan Dominus, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 The clouds aren’t placid but constantly on the move, whipping around the planet in two to four days. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 In animation, the whooshing and whipping water that Katara bent was gorgeously, and unrealistically, a deep blue. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Video from the first show, in Melbourne, started whipping around the Internet—twelve thousand rapt fans hollering along to every word. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 Even in this hectic, hurried world, some folks are still taking the time to make pie the old-fashioned way — working the dough, rolling out the crust, whipping egg white for meringue and so forth. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024 The action creates more of a catapult or whipping motion, taking pressure off the elbow. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024
Noun
Overhead, the newsprint whips by in a blur, running through a succession of cylinders inked cyan, magenta, yellow and black, before converging into a central machine that folds and cuts it into individual papers. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Scorsese emulates Alfred Hitchcock with impeccable style: the camera constantly glides, whips, and zooms from unusual angles to inflict maximum unease. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Tom Emmer went on to claim the seat, and the nearly 10-year Republican congressman now is the House majority whip. David Mark, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024 The other men tried to stop the fight but then Moua allegedly took out a gun and tried to pistol whip Yang in the face. Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 9 Jan. 2024 As mayor, Suarez has a reputation for rarely attending city commission meetings, preferring instead to delegate his officiating duties and whip votes in private, one-on-one meetings with individual members of the commission. Sarah Blaskey, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 Guava cream cheese Ingredients: 12 ounces cream cheese ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ cup guava marmalade 1½ teaspoons dragon fruit puree (optional, just for color) Instructions: Place cream cheese in a stand mixer with whip attachment and whip until soft and fluffy. The View, ABC News, 5 Jan. 2024 Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Steve Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2024 His long legs moved with a glider’s grace, and his long arm had the looseness of a whip. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English wippen, whippen; akin to Middle Dutch wippen to move up and down, sway, Old English wīpian to wipe

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whip was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near whip

Cite this Entry

“Whip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whip. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

whip

1 of 2 verb
ˈhwip How to pronounce whip (audio)
ˈwip
whipped; whipping
1
: to move, snatch, or jerk quickly and forcefully
whip out a camera
2
: to strike with something long and thin or flexible
3
: to overcome thoroughly : defeat
4
: to stir up : incite
whip up enthusiasm
5
: to produce in a hurry
whipped up a satisfying meal
6
: to beat into a thick fluffy mass
whip cream
7
: to flap about in a lively manner
sails whipped in the strong wind
whipper noun

whip

2 of 2 noun
1
: a flexible tool for whipping
2
a
: a dessert made by whipping some part of the mixture
b
: a kitchen utensil used in whipping
3
: a whipping motion
whiplike adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on whip

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