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whine

 - 3 dictionary results

whine

  [hwahyn, wahyn] verb, whined, whin⋅ing, noun
Use whine in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc.: The puppies were whining from hunger.
2. to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way: He is always whining about his problems.
–verb (used with object)
3. to utter with or as if with a whine: I whined my litany of complaints.
–noun
4. a whining utterance, sound, or tone.
5. a feeble, peevish complaint.
Origin:
bef. 1150; ME whinen (v.), OE hwīnan to whiz; c. ON hvīna

Related forms:
whiner, noun
whin⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. moan, whimper. 2. See complain.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To whine
whine   (hwīn, wīn)   
v.   whined, whin·ing, whines

v.   intr.

  1. To utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint.

  2. To complain or protest in a childish fashion.

  3. To produce a sustained noise of relatively high pitch: jet engines whining.

v.   tr.
To utter with a whine.
n.  

  1. The act of whining.

  2. A whining sound.

  3. A complaint uttered in a plaintive tone.


[Middle English whinen, from Old English hwīnan, to make a whizzing sound.]
whin'er n., whin'ing·ly adv., whin'y, whin'ey adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

whine  (v.)
O.E. hwinan "to whiz or whistle through the air" (only of arrows), also hwinsian "to whine" (of dogs), ultimately of imitative origin (cf. O.N. hvina "to whiz," Ger. wiehern "to neigh"). Meaning "to complain in a feeble way" is first recorded 1530. The noun is from 1633. The northern form of O.E. hwinsian survives in dial. whinge "to complain peevishly."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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