whine
whine Lexical Profile
whine Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To complain in a feeble, petulant, or irritating way.
"The children began to whine about how much farther they had to walk."
To give or make a long, high-pitched complaining cry or sound.
"The puppy started to whine softly beside the closed bedroom door."
To emit a shrill, prolonged sound (of a machine, engine, or wind).
"The jet engines began to whine loudly as the aircraft prepared for takeoff."
• noun
A long, high-pitched, complaining cry or sound.
"The dog let out a pathetic whine when left alone by the front door."
A feeble, petulant, or tiresome complaint.
"His constant whine about the workload quickly alienated his colleagues."
A shrill, prolonged mechanical or electrical sound.
"The mechanics immediately recognized the high-pitched whine of a failing transmission."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse with its homophone 'wine' (the alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes).
• Rhymes for whine
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'hwīnan', meaning 'to whiz or hiss through the air', of imitative Germanic origin and cognate with Old Norse 'hvína'.