Definition of whinge
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Examples of whinge in a Sentence
Quit whinging and get on with the job.
People were whinging about the lack of service.
Recent Examples of whinge from the Web
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Toddlers scream, children whinge and teenagers complain.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whinge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Whinge isn't just a spelling variant of "whine." "Whinge" and "whine" are actually entirely different words with separate histories. "Whine" traces to an Old English verb, "hwinan," which means "to make a humming or whirring sound." When "hwinan" became "whinen" in Middle English, it meant "to wail distressfully"; "whine" didn't acquire its "complain" sense until the 16th century. "Whinge," on the other hand, comes from a different Old English verb, "hwinsian," which means "to wail or moan discontentedly." "Whinge" retains that original sense today, though nowadays it puts less emphasis on the sound of the complaining and more on the discontentment behind the complaint.
Origin and Etymology of whinge
Middle English *whingen, from Old English hwinsian; akin to Old High German winsōn to moan
WHINGE Defined for English Language Learners
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See words that rhyme with whinge Britannica English: Translation of whinge for Arabic speakers
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