whimpern.
/ˈwɪmpə/, U.S. /ˈ(h)wɪmpər/ 1.
a. A feeble, broken cry, as of a child about to burst into tears; a fretful cry expressive of complaint or grief.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or shout (loudness) > cry of emotion or pain > [noun] > whimper
whimperingc1522
whimper1699
whinner1840
whinneringa1871
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > cry of grief > [noun] > feeble, plaintive, or peevish cry or crying
whiningc1440
whinge?a1513
whimperingc1522
puling?1529
whewling1609
whine1633
whindle1647
whindling1648
pipation1656
whimper1699
whinging1720
pule1812
whinner1840
mewl1857
whinneringa1871
whimp1925
whininess1934
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Whimper, a low, or small Cry.
a1734 R. North Examen (1740) iii. vii. §63. 550 After a few Whimpers and a Wipe, he said..That..he knew..he was in the Wrong.
1839 T. Carlyle Sinking of Vengeur in Crit. & Misc. Ess. (1857) IV. 218 Some vague faint murmur or whimper of admission.
1874 F. C. Burnand My Time xxvii. 256 A whimper in her voice expressive of utter helplessness.
b. A similar cry of dogs, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by noises > voice or sound made by animal > [noun] > howl or whine
pime?a1500
whinge?a1513
yowl?a1513
whrine1513
howla1616
whine1633
whimper1810
whinner1840
wow1862
ki-yi1884
1810 W. Scott Lady of Lake ii. 76 The loved caresses of the maid The dogs with crouch and whimper paid.
1852 R. S. Surtees Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour xii. lxviii. 383 The scent improved a little, and..a hound or two indulged in a whimper.
1859 R. F. Burton Lake Regions Central Afr. in Jrnl. Royal Geogr. Soc. 29 83 The hyena's whimper, and the fox's whining bark.
1906 F. Treves Highways & Byways Dorset xiii. 197 The voice of the preacher is apt to be interrupted by the whimper of circling seagulls.
c. transferred. Of inanimate things.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > [noun] > faint or weak sound
semi-souna1386
thread1593
understrain?1802
undernote1820
undertone1832
flick1844
undersound1847
undertune1866
whimper1895
1895 W. Watson Hymn to Sea 6 Braying of arrogant brass, whimper of querulous reeds.
1897 ‘O. Rhoscomyl’ For White Rose Arno (U.K. ed.) xxii The clank of capstan and the whimper of sheaves.
2. not with a bang but a whimper: see bang n.1 2b.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
whimperv.
/ˈwɪmpə/, U.S. /ˈ(h)wɪmpər/ 1.
a. intransitive. To utter a feeble, whining, broken cry, as a child about to burst into tears; to make a low complaining sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or shout (loudness) > cry of emotion or pain > [verb (intransitive)] > whimper
whimper1513
mewla1530
pulea1535
whimp1549
mew1602
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > cry of grief > cry with grief [verb (intransitive)] > cry feebly or plaintively
whingea1150
whinec1275
plaina1425
fipple?1507
whimper1513
mewla1530
pulea1535
whimp1549
whewla1560
simper1613
whindle1709
grizzle1842
squinny1847
wimick1850
mizzlea1935
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid ii. xii. 14 The ȝing childring, and frayit matrounis eik, Stude all on raw, with mony peteous screik..quhymperand woundir sair.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 781/1 The poore boye whympereth a lytell, but he dare nat wepe for his lyfe.
1589 ‘Marphoreus’ Martins Months Minde sig. F3v He whimpered and put finger in the eye.
a1644 F. Quarles Shepheards Oracles (1646) vii. 84 We..compose Strange rufull faces; whimper in the nose.
1728 J. Gay Beggar's Opera i. xiii. 18 The Boy, thus, when his Sparrow's flown..Whines, whimpers, sobs and cries.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. iii. 86 Get you away now you have said your lesson. You needn't whimper.
1912 L. A. Harker Mr. Wycherly's Wards xiv. 202 Baby began to whimper.
b. figurative. To complain pulingly; to ‘whine’: esp. for, after, †to something.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > discontent or dissatisfaction > state of complaining > complain [verb (intransitive)] > peevishly or querulously
whingea1150
girnc1440
whine1530
whimper1549
hone1621
peenge1791
nyaff1808
bellyache1889
1549 H. Latimer 2nd Serm. before Kynges Maiestie 3rd Serm. sig. Evv Was there euer yet preachers, but ther were gaynsaiars..yt whympered agaynste him?
a1644 F. Quarles Shepheards Oracles (1646) vii. 76 Time was, Adelphus, that my wants would whine And whimper in poore rags as well as thine.
a1657 G. Daniel Idyllia in Poems (1878) IV. iii. 43 I..whimper to the Teat, though Strong enough To digest meat.
1815 W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 190 The great Grecian youth, Who whimper'd for more worlds to conquer.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth viii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 203 Proudfute..began to cry for assistance..and almost in the same breath to whimper for mercy.
1842 R. Peel in Croker Papers 27 July (1884) II. 383 Farmers..were whimpering over advertisements offering fresh meat [etc.].
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair lxvii. 618 She is still whimpering after that gaby of a husband—dead..these fifteen years.
1894 A. Jessopp Random Roaming vi. 196 For ever whimpering for the days that are gone.
c. transitive. To utter or express in a whimper.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > cry of grief > cry with grief [verb (transitive)] > utter in a whimper
pule1535
whimper1785
mewl1819
1785 W. Cowper Task iv. 429 But poverty, with most who whimper forth Their long complaints, is self-inflicted woe.
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe II. xiii. 239 ‘You deal with me better than your word, noble knight,’ whimpered forth poor Wamba.
1820 J. Hogg Allan Gordon in Tales & Sketches (1837) I. 314 The generous animal whined and whimpered her joy.
1891 F. W. Farrar Darkness & Dawn II. lxv. 321 He still kept whimpering, ‘Only to think that such an artist as I am must perish!’
2. intransitive. Of an animal, esp. a dog: To utter a feeble querulous cry.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by noises > voice or sound made by animal > make sound [verb (intransitive)] > howl or whine
theotenc888
yowla1225
gowlc1300
whinec1330
howl1390
yawlc1400
whrine?1507
whewla1560
whinge1562
waw1570
whimper1575
wail1595
ululate1623
wow1806
wowla1825
towl1906
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > dog > [verb (intransitive)] > whine or whimper
whinec1330
whimper1575
whicker1753
1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie xxxix. 108 He [sc. a hound] will streyne and lappyse, or whymper, or sometime call on plainely.
a1643 W. Cartwright Siedge i. iv, in Comedies (1651) sig. G7 Whimpring at The Chamber door, like to the little Spaniel.
1825 J. Neal Brother Jonathan I. 335 The dog stopped; whimpered; looked him in the face.
1898 M. Hewlett Forest Lovers xxx The dogs whimpered and tugged at the leash; they doubtless knew that there was blood in her.
3. Of running water or the wind: To make a continuous plaintive murmur. Also transitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > sound faintly or quietly [verb (intransitive)] > make murmuring sounds
murmurc1395
croona1500
mustle1570
mute1570
simmera1637
hummer1691
remurmur1697
hum1730
mummer1763
whimper?1795
mutter1797
brum1844
rumour1894
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > faintness or weakness > make quieter [verb (transitive)] > make murmuring sound
mutter1572
purl1648
remurmur1709
whimper?1795
hummera1860
rumour1887
?1795 H. Macneill Scotland's Scaith 12 In a Howm, wha's bonny burnie Whimperin row'd its crystal flood.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. II. 358 The little brook that whimpered by his school-house.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel II. 106 The brook mourns drippling o'er its pebbly bed, And whimpers soothingly a calm serene.
1891 R. Kipling Eng. Flag i, in Verse (1919) I. 290 Winds of the World, give answer! They are whimpering to and fro—And what should they know of England who only England know?
Derivatives
ˈwhimpered adj. (sense 1c).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or shout (loudness) > cry of emotion or pain > [adjective] > whimper
puling1529
whimpering1598
puly1688
whinneringa1871
whimpered1892
pulamitinga1930
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or shout (loudness) > cry of emotion or pain > [adjective] > whimper > expressed in a whimper
whimpered1892
1892 G. Meredith Teaching of Nude i, in Poet. Wks. (1912) 410 A Satyr..fetching whimpered tunes For words.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1699v.1513