whoop

[ woop, woop, hwoop, hwoop ]
See synonyms for: whoopwhoopingwhoops on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a loud cry or shout, as of excitement or joy.

  2. the sound made by a person suffering from whooping cough.

verb (used without object)
  1. to utter a loud cry or shout in expressing enthusiasm, excitement, etc.

  2. to cry as an owl, crane, or certain other birds.

  1. to make the characteristic sound accompanying the deep intake of air following a series of coughs in whooping cough.

verb (used with object)
  1. to utter with or as if with a whoop.

  2. to whoop to or at.

  1. to call, urge, pursue, or drive with whoops: to whoop dogs on.

interjection
  1. (used as a cry to attract attention from afar, or to show excitement, encouragement, enthusiasm, etc.)

Verb Phrases
  1. whoop up, Informal. to promote or praise; extol: a class reunion where they whoop up the good old days.

Idioms about whoop

  1. not worth a whoop, Informal. to be worthless: Their promises aren't worth a whoop.

  2. whoop it up, Informal.

    • to raise a disturbance, as to celebrate noisily: They whooped it up after winning the big game.

    • to stir up enthusiasm, as for an idea or project: Every spring they whoop it up for the circus.

Origin of whoop

1
1350–1400; Middle English whopen,Old English hwōpan to threaten; cognate with Gothic hwopan to boast

Words Nearby whoop

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use whoop in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whoop

whoop

/ (wuːp) /


verb
  1. to utter (speech) with loud cries, as of enthusiasm or excitement

  2. med to cough convulsively with a crowing sound made at each inspiration

  1. (of certain birds) to utter (a hooting cry)

  2. (tr) to urge on or call with or as if with whoops

  3. whoop it up (wʊp, wuːp) informal

    • to indulge in a noisy celebration

    • US to arouse enthusiasm

noun
  1. a loud cry, esp one expressing enthusiasm or excitement

  2. med the convulsive crowing sound made during a paroxysm of whooping cough

  1. not worth a whoop informal worthless

Origin of whoop

1
C14: of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012