Dictionary

whimper en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈwɪmpʰə] Received Pronunciation, wine–whine merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈʍɪmpəɹ/ without the wine–whine merger
• [ˈw̥ɪmpʰɚ] without the wine–whine merger
• /ˈwɪmpə/ Received Pronunciation, wine–whine merger
• [ˈwɪmpʰɚ] General American, wine–whine merger
• [ˈw̥ɪmpʰə] without the wine–whine merger
• /ˈʍɪmpə/ without the wine–whine merger
• /ˈwɪmpəɹ/ General American, wine–whine merger

Etymology

From dialectal whimp (“to whine”) + -er (frequentative suffix). Compare German wimmern (“to whimper, whine”).

Meanings

1. A low intermittent sob.

Forms

Translations (34)

mi whakaingoingo (a low intermittent sob) · bg хленчене (a low intermittent sob) · sh cvilež (a low intermittent sob) · cs fňukání (a low intermittent sob) · sh cviljenje (a low intermittent sob) · de Schluchzen (a low intermittent sob) · mi koroingoingo (a low intermittent sob) · it piagnucolio (a low intermittent sob) · ga geoin (a low intermittent sob) · cs naříkání (a low intermittent sob) · pdt Wempa (a low intermittent sob) · nn klynk (a low intermittent sob) · he יְבָבָה (a low intermittent sob) · de Winseln (a low intermittent sob) · de Wimmern (a low intermittent sob) · de Gewimmer (a low intermittent sob) · fa زنویه (a low intermittent sob) · sh cendranje (a low intermittent sob) · fi uikutus (a low intermittent sob) · nl snik (a low intermittent sob) · mi kōingoingo (a low intermittent sob) · uk скімлення (a low intermittent sob) · mk цимолење (a low intermittent sob) · es gimoteo (a low intermittent sob) · nb klynk (a low intermittent sob) · fr gémissement (a low intermittent sob) · bg скимтене (a low intermittent sob) · arz شَحْتَفَة (a low intermittent sob) · uk пхикання (a low intermittent sob) · ast lloramicu (a low intermittent sob) · ca gemec (a low intermittent sob) · ru хны́канье (a low intermittent sob) · cmn 呜咽声 (a low intermittent sob) · fi vikinä (a low intermittent sob)

whimper en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈwɪmpʰə] Received Pronunciation, wine–whine merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈʍɪmpəɹ/ without the wine–whine merger
• [ˈw̥ɪmpʰɚ] without the wine–whine merger
• /ˈwɪmpə/ Received Pronunciation, wine–whine merger
• [ˈwɪmpʰɚ] General American, wine–whine merger
• [ˈw̥ɪmpʰə] without the wine–whine merger
• /ˈʍɪmpə/ without the wine–whine merger
• /ˈwɪmpəɹ/ General American, wine–whine merger

Etymology

From dialectal whimp (“to whine”) + -er (frequentative suffix). Compare German wimmern (“to whimper, whine”).

Meanings

1. To cry or sob softly and intermittently.
   • The lonely puppy began to whimper as soon as we left the room.
   • At the sight of Mr. Utterson, the housemaid broke into hysterical whimpering; and the cook, crying out 'Bless God! it's Mr. Utterson,' ran forward as if to take him in her arms. 1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Last Night”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, pages 69–70:
2. To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain.
   • Was ther euer yet prechers, but ther wer gainſayers? that ſpurned? that winſt? that whimpered againſt him? 1549 April 1 (Gregorian calendar), Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[27 Sermons Preached by the Ryght Reuerende Father in God and Constant Matir of Iesus Christe, Maister Hugh Latimer, […].] The Thyrde Sermon of Maister Hughe Latymer whyche He Preached before the Kynge [Edward VI], wythin Hys Graces Palayce at Westminster, the XXII. Daye of Marche.”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folio 39, verso:
3. To say something in a whimpering manner.
   • Stripped of all bravado, Cersei breaks, and shows the very scared, vulnerable woman who has kept her emotions at bay. “I don’t want to die,” she whimpers, “Not like this.” It’s all the more moving for coming from a character who built her identity on steely resolve and contempt for such hoary conceits as fear. 2019 May 12, Alex McLevy, “Westeros faces a disastrous final battle on the penultimate Game of Thrones (newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 15 May 2019:
   • “Master, please don’t punish me!” he whimpered.

Forms

Deriveds

whimperative

Synonyms

mewl

Translations (53)

ca gemegar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · ast lloricar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · mi koroingoingo (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · ru хны́кать (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de quengeln (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · nb klynke (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · fi vikistä (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · pl kwilić (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · fr pleurnicher (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · fa نالیدن (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · da klynke (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · sh cviljeti (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · mk цимоли (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de wimmern (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · cs kňourat (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · sh cviliti (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · ru скули́ть (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · ast ḥipar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · nn klynke (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · es lloriquear (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · it piagnucolare (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · pt choramingar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · bg хленча (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · cmn 呜咽 (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · uk пхикати (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · fi uikuttaa (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · mi whakaingoingo (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de stöhnen (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · eo aĥi (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · mi kōingoingo (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · he יִבֵּב (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · fr gémir (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · nl dreinen (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · sh cendrati (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · ast lloramicar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · nrf houîmbrer (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · gl chorimicar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · cmn 抽泣 (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de fiepen (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de pimmeln (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de pimpeln (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · el μυξοκλαίω (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · uk скімлити (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · cs fňukat (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · hu nyöszörög (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · bg скимтя (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · gl choricar (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · pl skomleć (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · eo ploreti (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de winseln (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · grc μινυρίζω (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · de schluchzen (to cry or sob softly and intermittently) · nl zuchtenkreunen (to cry or sob softly and intermittently)