wɪp n. & v. --n. 1 a
lash attached to a stick
for urging on animals or punishing etc. 2 a a
member of a
political party in
Parliament appointed to
control its parliamentary discipline and tactics,
esp. ensuring
attendance and voting in debates. b
Brit.
the whips'
written notice requesting or requiring attendance for voting at a
division etc., variously underlined
according to the
degree of urgency (three-line whip). c (prec. by the) party discipline and instructions (asked for the
Labour whip). 3 a
dessert made with whipped
cream etc. 4 the
action of
beating cream, eggs, etc.,
into a
froth. 5 =
WHIPPER-IN. 6 a rope-and-pulley hoisting
apparatus. --v. (whipped, whipping) 1 tr.
beat or
urge on with a whip. 2 tr. beat (cream or eggs etc.) into a froth. 3 tr. & intr.
take or
move suddenly, unexpectedly, or rapidly (whipped
away the
tablecloth; whipped
out a
knife; whip
off your coat; whipped
behind the door). 4 tr. Brit. sl.
steal (who's whipped my pen?). 5 tr. sl. a
excel. b
defeat. 6 tr.
bind with spirally wound
twine. 7 tr.
sew with
overcast stitches. øwhip-bird
any Australian bird of the
genus Psophodes with a
cry like the
crack of a whip. whip-crane a
light derrick with
tackle for hoisting. whip-graft Hort. a graft with the
tongue of the
scion in a slot in the
stock and vice versa. whip
hand 1 a hand
that holds the whip (in riding etc.). 2 (usu. prec. by the) the
advantage or control in any
situation. whip in
bring (hounds)
together. whip on urge into action. whip-round esp. Brit. colloq. an
informal collection of
money from a
group of
people. whip
scorpion any
arachnid of the
order Uropygi, with a long
slender tail-like
appendage,
which secretes an irritating
vapour. whip
snake any of
various long slender snakes of the
family Colubridae. whip-stitch a
stitch made by
whipping. whip up 1
excite or stir up (feeling etc.). 2
summon (attendance). øøwhipless adj. whiplike adj. whipper n. [ME (h)wippen (v.), prob. f. MLG & MDu. wippen
swing,
leap, dance]