Whine definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WHINE, v.t. [L.] TO express murmurs by a plaintive cry; to moan with a puerile noise; to murmur meanly.
They came--with a whining accent craving liberty.
Then, if we whine, look pale--
WHINE, n. A plaintive tone; the nasal puerile tone of mean complaint; mean or affected complaint.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a complaint uttered in a plaintive whining way [syn: whimper, whine] v
1: move with a whining sound; "The bullets were whining past us"
2: talk in a tearful manner [syn: snivel, whine]
3: make a high-pitched, screeching noise; "The door creaked when I opened it slowly"; "My car engine makes a whining noise" [syn: whine, squeak, screech, creak, screak, skreak]
4: complain whiningly [syn: whine, grizzle, yammer, yawp]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (whined; whining) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hw?nan to whiz; akin to Old Norse hv?na to whiz Date: 13th century intransitive verb 1. a. to utter a high-pitched plaintive or distressed cry b. to make a sound similar to such a cry <the wind whined in the chimney> 2. to complain with or as if with a whine <always whining about the weather> 3. to move or proceed with the sound of a whine <the bullet whined…across the ice — Berton Roueché> transitive verb to utter or express with or as if with a whine • whiner noun • whiningly adverb II. noun Date: 1633 1. a. a prolonged high-pitched cry usually expressive of distress or pain b. a sound resembling such a cry 2. a complaint uttered with or as if with a whine • whiny also whiney adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a complaining long-drawn wail as of a dog. 2 a similar shrill prolonged sound. 3 a a querulous tone. b an instance of feeble or undignified complaining. --v. 1 intr. emit or utter a whine. 2 intr. complain in a querulous tone or in a feeble or undignified way. 3 tr. utter in a whining tone. Derivatives: whiner n. whiningly adv. whiny adj. (whinier, whiniest). Etymology: OE hwinan

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Whine Whine, v. t. To utter or express plaintively, or in a mean, unmanly way; as, to whine out an excuse.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Whine Whine, n. A plaintive tone; the nasal, childish tone of mean complaint; mean or affected complaint.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Whine Whine, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whined; p. pr. & vb. n. Whining.] [OE. whinen, AS. hw[=i]nan to make a whistling, whizzing sound; akin to Icel. hv[=i]na, Sw. hvina, Dan. hvine, and probably to G. wiehern to neigh, OHG. wih[=o]n, hweij[=o]n; perhaps of imitative origin. Cf. Whinny, v. i.] To utter a plaintive cry, as some animals; to moan with a childish noise; to complain, or to tell of sorrow, distress, or the like, in a plaintive, nasal tone; hence, to complain or to beg in a mean, unmanly way; to moan basely. ``Whining plovers.'' --Spenser. The hounds were . . . staying their coming, but with a whining accent, craving liberty. --Sir P. Sidney. Dost thou come here to whine? --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(whines, whining, whined) 1. If something or someone whines, they make a long, high-pitched noise, especially one which sounds sad or unpleasant. He could hear her dog barking and whining in the background... The engines whined. VERB: V, V • Whine is also a noun. ...the whine of air-raid sirens. N-COUNT: usu sing 2. If you say that someone is whining, you mean that they are complaining in an annoying way about something unimportant. They come to me to whine about their troubles. ...children who whine that they are bored... 'Why can't you tell me?' I whined... VERB: V about n/-ing, V that, V with quote [disapproval]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Cry (plaintively), moan (in a childish way). 2. Complain meanly, grumble. II. n. 1. Plaintive tone. 2. Mean or affected complaint.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

To complain.

Moby Thesaurus

bark, bawl, bay, bell, bellow, blare, blat, blate, bleat, blubber, boom, bray, breathe, buzz, cackle, call, caterwaul, chant, chirp, coo, creak, crow, cry, dolorous tirade, drawl, exclaim, flute, fuss, gasp, give tongue, give voice, groan, growl, grunt, hiss, howl, jeremiad, keen, kick, lament, lilt, low, meow, mew, mewl, miaow, moan, moo, mumble, murmur, mutter, neigh, nicker, outcry, pant, pipe, plaint, planctus, pule, repine, roar, rumble, screak, scream, screech, shriek, shrill, sibilate, sigh, sing, skirl, skreigh, snap, snarl, snort, sob, sough, squall, squawk, squeak, squeal, thunder, tirade, troat, trumpet, twang, ululate, ululation, wail, wail of woe, warble, whicker, whimper, whinny, whisper, whistle, wrawl, yammer, yap, yawl, yawp, yell, yelp, yip, yowl