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whip

v. · n.
US //ˈhwɪp// UK //wˈɪp// whip
  1. 1 to hit with a tool (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to hit someone or something with a long, thin tool like a rope or a leather strap.

    to strike with a whip or any flexible object, typically to punish or to drive an animal forward.

    Example

    The rider used the leather strap to whip the horse so it would run faster.

    Example

    Historically, sailors were often whipped as a form of corporal punishment for minor infractions of naval discipline.
  2. 2 to move quickly (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to move or pull something very fast and suddenly.

    to move, take, or pull something with a sudden, rapid motion.

    Example

    He whipped out his phone to take a picture before the bird flew away.

    Example

    The wind whipped the laundry around the line, threatening to tear the damp sheets from their pegs.
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  1. 3 to mix food (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Cooking

    to stir cream or eggs very quickly to make them light and fluffy.

    to beat a liquid, such as cream or egg whites, rapidly to incorporate air and produce expansion.

    Example

    You need to whip the cream until it becomes thick and stays on the spoon.

    Example

    The chef instructed the apprentice to whip the egg whites until they formed stiff, glossy peaks for the meringue.
  2. 4 the tool (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a long, thin piece of leather or rope with a handle, used for hitting.

    a flexible instrument, typically consisting of a lash attached to a handle, used for herding animals or corporal punishment.

    Example

    The lion tamer held a whip in one hand and a chair in the other.

    Example

    The crack of the whip echoed through the valley as the herder drove the cattle toward the summer pastures.
  3. 5 political official (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Law

    a person in a political party whose job is to make sure members vote the right way.

    a party official whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline and attendance during parliamentary votes.

    Example

    The party whip told the members they must attend the vote on Tuesday.

    Example

    The government whip spent the afternoon lobbying backbenchers to ensure the controversial legislation passed without amendment.
  4. 6 a car (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang

    a cool or expensive car.

    a motor vehicle, typically an automobile.

    Example

    He just bought a brand new whip and wants to show it to everyone.

    Example

    The rapper arrived at the awards ceremony in a custom-painted whip that cost more than most houses.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is common in hip-hop culture and urban slang; it is inappropriate for professional or academic contexts.
Origin

From Middle English whippen, wippen (“to flap violently”), from Middle Dutch wippen (“to swing, leap, dance, oscillate”) and Middle Low German wippen (“to move quickly”), from Proto-Germanic *wipjaną (“to move back and forth”). Some similarity to Sanskrit root वेप् (vep, “shake, flourish”), Latin vibrō (“to shake”). (See Swedish vippa and Danish vippe (“to shake”)). The unetymological wh- is probably expressive of the sound of a whip; compare the same development in whisk and onomatopoeias such as whack and whoosh. The political senses are from whipper-in (“huntsman who keeps the hounds from wandering”), 18th century hunting terminology.

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