Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WHIP'-HAND, n. [whip and hand.]

Advantage over; as, he has the whip-hand of her. – Dryden.

WHIP'-LASH, n. [whip and lash.]

The lash of a whip. – Tusser.

WHIP'PED, pp.

Struck with a whip; punished; inwrapped; sewed slightly.

WHIP'PER, n.

One who whips; particularly, an office who inflicts the penalty of legal whipping.

WHIP'PER-SNAP-PER, n.

A diminutive, insignificant person. – Brocket.

WHIP'PING, n.

The act of striking with a whip, or of punishing; the state of being whipped.

WHIP'PING, ppr.

Striking with a whip; punishing with a whip; in wrapping.

WHIP'PING-POST, n. [whipping and post.]

A post to which offenders are tied when whipped.

WHIP'PLE-TREE, n. [whip and tree; but qu. is it not Whiffle-tree?]

The bar to which the traces or tugs of a harness are fastened, and by which a carriage, a plow, a harrow or other implement is drawn.

WHIP'PO-WIL, a.

The popular name of an American bird, so called from its note, or the sounds of its voice; a species of Caprimulgus. [Not whip-poor-will.]

WHIP'-SAW, n. [whip and saw.]

A saw to be used by two persons.

WHIP'-STAFF, n. [whip and staff.]

In ships, a bar by which the rudder is turned. In small vessels this is called the tiller.

WHIP'STER, n.

A nimble fellow. – Prior.

WHIP'-STITCH, v.t. [whip and stitch.]

In agriculture, to half-plow or to rafter land. This word, I believe, is not used in America. The practice of whip-stitching resembles what is called in America ridging.

WHIP'STOCK, n. [whip and stock.]

The rod or staff to which the lash of a whip is fastened.

WHIPT, pp. [of Whip.]

Sometimes used for Whipped.

WHIR, v.i. [hwur.]

To whirl round with noise; to fly with noise.

WHIR, v.t.

To hurry.

WHIRL, n. [G. wirbel; Dan. hvirvel.]

1. A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or circumvolution; quick gyration; as, the whirl of a top; the whirl of a wheel; the whirl of time; the whirls of fancy. – Creech. Pope.
2. Any thing that moves or is turned with velocity, particularly on an axis or pivot.
3. A hook used in twisting.
4. In botany, a species of inflorescence, consisting of many subsessile flowers surrounding the stem in a ring. It is also written whorl and wherl. – Martyn.
5. In conchology, each volution of a turreted shell.

WHIRL, v.i.

1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; as, the whirling spindles of a cotton machine or wheels of a coach. The wooden engine flies and whirls about. – Dryden.
2. To move hastily. But whirl'd away to shun his hateful sight. – Dryden.

WHIRL, v.t. [hwurl; Sax. hwyrfan; D. wervelen; G. wirbeln, to whirl, to warble; Dan. hvirveler, Sw. hvirfla, to whirl, Dan. hvirvelbeen, whirl-bone, vertebra; hvirvelsoe, whirl-sea, a whirlpool; Sw. hvirfvel, Ice. whirla, a whirl. We see that whirl and warble are dialectical forms of the same word, and bath probably from the root of L. verto and Eng. veer.]

To turn round rapidly; to turn with velocity. He whirls his sword around without delay. – Dryden.

WHIRL'-BAT, n. [whirl and bat.]

Any thing moved with a whirl as preparatory for a blow, or to augment the force of it. Poets use it for the ancient cestus. The whirl-bat and the rapid race shall be / Reserv'd for Cesar. – Dryden.

WHIRL'-BLAST, n. [whirl and blast.]

A whirling blast of wind. – Entick.

WHIRL'-BONE, n. [whirl and bone.]

The patella; the cap of the knee; the knee-pan. – Ainsworth.

WHIRL'ED, pp.

1. Turned round with velocity.
2. In botany, growing in whirls; hearing whirls; verticillate.