whip

/wɪp/

/hwɪp/

/wɪp/

Other forms: whipped; whipping; whips

A whip is a cord or piece of leather used for hitting an animal or a person, and to whip something or someone is to strike them with a whip. You can also figuratively whip an opponent or whip someone in shape. Giddy up!

When you hit an animal with a whip, you whip it. Some animal rights activists object to horse racers using whips. You can also use this verb to mean "defeat by a lot," like when your basketball team whips the opposing team. A chef whips cream by whisking or mixing it until it's airy and frothy. If your teacher says he's going to "crack the whip," he means he's planning to use his authority to make the class work harder. And, fittingly, a political whip is someone who enforces discipline among party members.

Definitions of whip

1. noun

   an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whipping
   types:

   cat, cat-o'-nine-tails

   a whip with nine knotted cords

   cowhide

   a heavy flexible whip braided from leather made from the hide of a cow

   horsewhip

   a whip for controlling horses

   knout

   a whip with a lash of leather thongs twisted with wire; used for flogging prisoners

   quirt

   whip with a leather thong at the end

   hunting crop, riding crop

   a short whip with a thong at the end and a handle for opening gates

   flagellum, scourge

   a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor)

   strap

   whip consisting of a strip of leather used in flogging

   buggy whip

   a horsewhip once used by a driver of a buggy

   tawse

   a leather strap for punishing children

   type of:

   instrument

   a device that requires skill for proper use
2. noun

   a quick blow delivered with a whip or whiplike object
   synonyms: lash, whiplash

   type of:

   blow, buffet

   a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
3. verb

   beat severely with a whip or rod
   synonyms: flog, lash, lather, slash, strap, trounce, welt

   types:

   flagellate, scourge

   whip

   leather

   whip with a leather strap

   horsewhip

   whip with a whip intended for horses

   switch

   flog with or as if with a flexible rod

   cowhide

   flog with a cowhide

   cat

   beat with a cat-o'-nine-tails

   birch

   whip with a birch twig

   type of:

   beat, beat up, work over

   give a beating to; subject to a beating, either as a punishment or as an act of aggression
4. verb

   strike as if by whipping
   “The curtain whipped her face”

   synonyms: lash

   types:

   urticate

   whip with or as with nettles

   type of:

   strike, zonk

   deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
5. verb

   defeat thoroughly
   synonyms: mop up, pip, rack up, worst

   type of:

   beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish

   come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
6. verb

   subject to harsh criticism
   synonyms: blister, scald

   type of:

   assail, assault, attack, lash out, round, snipe

   attack in speech or writing
7. noun

   a legislator appointed by the party to enforce discipline
   synonyms: party whip

   type of:

   legislator

   someone who makes or enacts laws
8. verb

   whip with or as if with a wire whisk
   synonyms: whisk

   type of:

   beat, scramble

   stir vigorously
9. noun

   a dessert made of sugar and stiffly beaten egg whites or cream and usually flavored with fruit
   types:

   prune whip

   dessert made of prune puree and whipped cream

   type of:

   afters, dessert, sweet

   a dish served as the last course of a meal
10. noun

    (golf) the flexibility of the shaft of a golf club
    type of:

    flexibility, flexibleness

    the property of being flexible; easily bent or shaped
11. verb

    thrash about flexibly in the manner of a whiplash
    “The tall grass whipped in the wind”

    type of:

    convulse, jactitate, slash, thrash, thrash about, thresh, thresh about, toss

    move or stir about violently