Definition of "whip"

whip

/wɪp/

noun
plural whips
1. A lash; a pliant, flexible instrument, such as a rod (commonly of cane or rattan) or a plaited or braided rope or thong (commonly of leather) used to create a sharp "crack" sound for directing or herding animals.
  1. The same instrument used to strike a person or animal for corporal punishment or torture.
2. A blow administered with a whip.
  Quotations
  I had hardly said the word, when Kit jumped into the saddle, and gave his horse a whip and a spur — and off it cantered, as if it were in as great a hurry to be married as Kit himself.
  1832, The Atheneum, volume 31, page 493
3. (hunting) A whipper-in.
  Quotations
  At half-past ten, Tom Moody, Sir Huddlestone Fuddlestone's huntsman, was seen trotting up the avenue, followed by the noble pack of hounds in a compact body—the rear being brought up by the two whips clad in stained scarlet frocks—light hard-featured lads on well-bred lean horses, possessing marvellous dexterity in casting the points of their long heavy whips at the thinnest part of any dog's skin who dares to straggle from the main body […]
  1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848
  From the far side of the wood came the long shrill screech […] which signifies that one of the whips has viewed the fox quitting the covert.
  1928, Siegfried Sassoon, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, Penguin, published 2013, page 27
4. (politics) A member of a political party who is in charge of enforcing the party's policies in votes.
  Quotations
  The Conservative deputy chief whip has resigned after admitting he had “embarrassed myself and other people” following reports that he drunkenly groped two men at a private club.
  2022 June 30, “Tory deputy chief whip resigns after ‘drunkenly groping two men’”, in The Guardian‎
  Therefore, welcome new Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, a man about whom even my esteemed political journalist friends know little - apart from the fact he was once Chief Whip, a job that requires knowing about every Tory MP's misdemeanours.
  2022 November 16, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, in RAIL, number 970, page 44
5. (UK politics, with definite article) A document distributed weekly to MPs by party whips informing them of upcoming votes in parliament.
6. (UK politics, by extension) The regular status of an MP within a parliamentary party, which can be revoked by the party as a disciplinary measure.
  Quotations
  As a result, he was stripped of the whip on Tuesday, preventing him from voting in the fourth ballot to narrow down candidates to be the next party leader.
  2022 July 20, Heather Stewart, “Tobias Ellwood temporarily given back Tory whip to vote in leadership contest”, in The Guardian‎
  In the letter, Hancock said he had spoken to the Conservatives’ chief whip, Simon Hart, last week, and been told the whip would be restored in time, “but that is now not necessary” – meaning he will sit as an independent until the next election.
  2022 December 7, Peter Walker, “Row grows over Matt Hancock’s announcement he is quitting as MP”, in The Guardian‎
7. Whipped cream.
8. (nautical) A purchase in which one block is used to gain a 2:1 mechanical advantage.
9. (African-American Vernacular, MTE) A mode of personal motorized transportation; an automobile, all makes and models including motorcycles, excluding public transportation.
  Quotations
  Had four bills and I bought me a car / Little red whip that I bought for my marge
  2015, Stormzy (lyrics and music), “Shut Up” (track 15), in Gang Signs & Prayer, performed by Stormzy
  Big whip I'm underground parking
  2017, Stormzy, Return of the Rucksack
10. (roller derby) A move in which one player transfers momentum to another.
11. A whipping motion; a thrashing about.
12. The quality of being whiplike or flexible; suppleness, as of the shaft of a golf club.
13. Any of various pieces that operate with a quick vibratory motion
  1. A spring in certain electrical devices for making a circuit
  2. (music) A wippen, a rocking component in certain piano actions.
14. (historical) A coach driver; a coachman.
  Quotations
  Lord Carington […] led the way with his chestnuts, having a distinguished brother whip, Lord Londesborough, by his side.
  1871, Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes, volume 20, page 308
verb
third-person singular simple present whips, present participle whipping, simple past and past participle whipped
1. (transitive) To hit with a whip.
2. (transitive, by extension) To hit with any flexible object.
3. (transitive, slang) To defeat, as in a contest or game.
  Quotations
  She whips me in the first game of pool, I do not even get a shot. Eight-balled from the break.
  2008, Edward Keating, The Joy of Ex: A Novel
4. (transitive) To mix in a rapid aerating fashion, especially food.
5. (transitive) To urge into action or obedience.
6. (transitive, politics) To enforce a member voting in accordance with party policy.
7. (transitive, nautical) To bind the end of a rope with twine or other small stuff to prevent its unlaying: fraying or unravelling.
  Quotations
  Its string […] is firmly whipt about with small Gut
  1677-1683, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick exercises
8. (transitive, nautical) To hoist or purchase by means of a whip.
9. To sew lightly; specifically, to form (a fabric) into gathers by loosely overcasting the rolled edge and drawing up the thread.
  Quotations
  In half-whipped muslin needles useless lie.
  , [John] Gay, “(please specify the page number(s))”, in Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London, London: […] Bernard Lintott, […]
10. (transitive) To throw or kick an object at a high velocity.
  Quotations
  Composed play then saw Sam Ricketts nutmeg Ashley Cole before Taylor whipped a fine curling effort over Petr Cech's bar.
  2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC‎
11. (transitive, intransitive) To fish a body of water especially by making repeated casts.
  Quotations
  whipping its rough surface for a trout
  1858, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Adirondac
12. (intransitive) To snap back and forth like a whip.
13. (intransitive) To move very fast.
  Quotations
  Two Friends, Travelling, met a Bear upon the way; the one Whips up a Tree, and the Other Throws himself Flat upon the Ground.
  1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […]
  He looked up when I came in, gave a kind of cry, and whipped upstairs into the cabinet. It was but for one minute that I saw him, but the hair stood upon my head like quills.
  1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co.
14. (transitive) To move (something) very fast; often with up, out, etc.
  Quotations
  She, […] in a hurry, whips up her Darling under her Arm.
  1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […]
  He whips out his pocketbook every moment, and writes descriptions of everything he sees.
  1742, Horace Walpole, letter to Sir Horace Mann
15. (transitive, roller derby) To transfer momentum from one skater to another.
16. (figurative) To lash with sarcasm, abuse, etc.
  Quotations
  They would whip me with their fine wits.
  c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene v]
17. To thrash; to beat out, as grain, by striking.

Definition of "whip"

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