Dictionary

whale on en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

See whale (“to beat vigorously or soundly”).

Meanings

1. (slang) To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.
   • “Big sumbitch,” Don Dykes said. “Took a fuckin' ax handle to me. Just whaled on my fuckin' ass.” 2014, Jack Hart, Skookum Summer: A Novel of the Pacific Northwest, page 278:
   • If he had been able to break loose from his handlers and the referee, he would have jumped Paret to the floor and whaled on him there. 1962, Norman Mailer, The Death of Benny Paret:
   • Philip was whaling on O, who was whaling on Slater, who was whaling on Genesius, who was whaling on Philip. Blood, spittle, and curses were flying. 2000, Joseph Di Prisco, Confessions of Brother Eli, page 320:
2. (slang) To beat heavily on anything.
   • Standing at the front, wearing a guitar and whaling on it as she sang, was Sara Tidwell. 1999, Stephen King, Bag of Bones:
   • Jaw tight, Ryder picked up his hammer, set a framing nail, and whaled on it. 2012, Nora Roberts, The Last Boyfriend, page 71:
   • The wrench wouldn’t budge, even though Tony was just whaling on it with a big old sledge hammer.
   • Now he couldn't get enough of playing his father's music on a CD and whaling on the drum set Jed had bought him at one of those warehouse club stores 2014, Chris Fabry, The Song:

Forms

Relateds

whale away · wale on · wail on

Translations (26)

pl tłuc (to beat heavily on anything) · fr tabasser (to strike heavily in a fight) · de verdreschen (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl walnąć (to beat heavily on anything) · pl okładać (to beat heavily on anything) · pl zmłócić (to strike heavily in a fight) · fr s’acharner (to strike heavily in a fight) · de draufdreschen (to beat heavily on anything) · pl obłożyć (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl stłuc (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl okładać (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl prać (to beat heavily on anything) · pl walnąć (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl walić (to beat heavily on anything) · pl obłożyć (to beat heavily on anything) · de draufhauen (to beat heavily on anything) · pl stłuc (to beat heavily on anything) · pl tłuc (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl zmłócić (to beat heavily on anything) · de verhauen (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl sprać (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl sprać (to beat heavily on anything) · pl walić (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl prać (to strike heavily in a fight) · pl młócić (to beat heavily on anything) · pl młócić (to strike heavily in a fight)