whimwhim /wɪm/ noun [countable usually singular] 
I didn’t leave just on a whim (=for no good reason).at the whim of somebody At work they are at the whim of the boss.somebody’s every whim Their father had always indulged her every whim.at whim He appeared and disappeared at whim.
WORD ORIGINwhim
Origin:
1600-1700 whim-wham ‘decorative object, whim’ (16-19 centuries), of unknown originEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I don't know why I bought it. I suppose it was just a whim.
- I went to visit her on a whim.
- Athletes are penalized for transferring, but coaches may leave on a whim.
- He had never been able to lose himself in a crowd, or dash off somewhere suddenly on a whim.
- It cried out to be fondled, yanked, and squeezed, and I bowed to its whims with a willing heart.
- That first day or two, I kept on thinking he would telephone, that it was all a sort of whim.
- The sail had been a hindrance, making sport of me at each whim of the wind, so I lowered it.
- This is just a whim but it is great fun.
Longman Language Activatora sudden feeling of wanting something
a sudden strong feeling that you want to do something, especially a feeling that is difficult to control: urge to do something: · She was seized with the urge to drag Alice from her chair and shake her.feel/have an urge: · I felt a sudden urge to tell him all my problems.fight an urge (=try not to do something): · He was fighting the urge to drink as he waited for her to come down.resist an urge (=not do something, even though you want to): · Sheena resisted the urge to get in her car and go home.
a sudden feeling that you would like to do something, especially when this is not sensible or when there is no reason at all to do it: · I don't know why I bought it. I suppose it was just a whim.do something on a whim (=do something because you feel a whim): · I went to visit her on a whim.
a sudden strong desire to do something before thinking about whether it is the right or sensible thing to do: · My first impulse was to go straight to Henry and tell him my news, but on reflection I thought better of it.· He has to learn to control his violent impulses.on (an) impulse (=because you feel an impulse): · It was an outfit that I had bought on impulse, and never worn.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Their father had always indulged her every whim.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Highly trained staff will pander to your every whim.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
a sudden feeling that you would like to do or have something, especially when there is no important or good reasonon a whim Their father had always indulged her every whim. Highly trained staff will pander to your every whim.· They travelled extensively, but he had to pander to her every whim.· But healthy, durable enterprises refuse to pander to the transitory whims of their clienteles.· Perhaps it would be wise to pander a little to his whims since it seemed he was prone to these Viking tendencies.· She had long realised that while Luther Reynolds lived, David would always be there to pander to his every whim.
I didn’t leave just on a whim (=for no good reason).at the whim of somebody At work they are at the whim of the boss.somebody’s every whim Their father had always indulged her every whim.at whim He appeared and disappeared at whim.