whip (hw p, wp)v. whipped or whipt (hwpt, wpt), whip·ping, whips v.tr.1. To strike with repeated strokes, as with a strap or rod; lash. 2. a. To punish or chastise by repeated striking with a strap or rod; flog. b. To afflict, castigate, or reprove severely: "For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure" Ralph Waldo Emerson. 3. To drive, force, or compel by flogging, lashing, or other means. 4. To strike or affect in a manner similar to whipping or lashing: Icy winds whipped my face. 5. To beat (cream or eggs, for example) into a froth or foam. 6. Informal To snatch, pull, or remove in a sudden manner: He whipped off his cap. 7. To sew with a loose overcast or overhand stitch. 8. To wrap or bind (a rope, for example) with twine to prevent unraveling or fraying. 9. Nautical To hoist by means of a rope passing through an overhead pulley. 10. Informal To defeat; outdo: Our team can whip your team. v.intr.1. To move in a sudden, quick manner; dart. 2. To move in a manner similar to a whip; thrash or snap about: Branches whipped against the windows. n.1. An instrument, either a flexible rod or a flexible thong or lash attached to a handle, used for driving animals or administering corporal punishment. 2. A whipping or lashing motion or stroke; a whiplash. 3. A blow, wound, or cut made by or as if by whipping. 4. Something, such as a long radio antenna on a motor vehicle, that is similar to a whip in form or flexibility. 5. Sports Flexibility, as in the shaft of a golf club. 6. Sports A whipper-in. 7. a. A member of a legislative body, such as the U.S. Congress or the British Parliament, charged by his or her party with enforcing party discipline and ensuring attendance. b. A call issued to party members in a lawmaking body to ensure attendance at a particular time. 8. A dessert made of sugar and stiffly beaten egg whites or cream, often with fruit or fruit flavoring: prune whip. 9. An arm on a windmill. 10. Nautical A hoist consisting of a single rope passing through an overhead pulley. 11. A ride in an amusement park, consisting of small cars that move in a rapid, whipping motion along an oval track. Phrasal Verbs: whip in To keep together, as members of a political party or hounds in a pack. whip up1. To arouse; excite: whipped up the mob; whip up enthusiasm. 2. Informal To prepare quickly: whip up a light lunch. Idiom: whip into shape Informal To bring to a specified state or condition, vigorously and often forcefully.
[Middle English wippen, whippen; see weip- in Indo-European roots.]
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