whale away
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Attack physically or verbally, as in Our boys whaled away at the enemy, or The talk-show host whaled away at the hostile critics. The word whale here does not allude to the ocean mammal, but means “flog” or “thrash.” [Mid-1800s]
QUIZ
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Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.
Question 1 of 9
Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
Words nearby whale away
whacky, whaikorero, whakairo, whakapapa, whale, whale away, whaleback, whaleboat, whalebone, whalebone whale, whale catcher
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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