whine

American  

[hwahyn, wahyn] / ʰwaɪn, waɪn /

verb (used without object)

whined, whining

1. to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc..

   The puppies were whining from hunger.

   Synonyms:

   whimper, moan

2. to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way.

   He is always whining about his problems.

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verb (used with object)

whined, whining

1. to utter with or as if with a whine.

   I whined my litany of complaints.

noun

1. a whining utterance, sound, or tone.

2. a feeble, peevish complaint.

whine British  

/ waɪn /

noun

1. a long high-pitched plaintive cry or moan

2. a continuous high-pitched sound

3. a peevish complaint, esp one repeated

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verb

1. to make a whine or utter in a whine

Related Words

See complain.

Other Word Forms

• whiner noun
• whining adjective
• whiningly adverb

Etymology

Origin of whine

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English verb whinen “to groan in pain or distress; make animal sounds, whimper, whinny, squeal,” Old English hwīnan (of an arrow) “to whiz, buzz, hum”; cognate with Old Norse hvīna, of imitative origin

Example Sentences

I swear I can almost hear the high-pitched whine of the machines from where I’m standing.

From Literature

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick accused Carney of “an arrogant kind of thought,” and likened the prime minister’s speech to whining and complaining.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We need to get in a pool, like Dodger,” Hildi whined.

From Literature

That said, my siblings and I got tired of the whining and agreed that she would only have to pay the lesser of $3 million or the appraised price of the house.

From MarketWatch

That was her way of saying she’d heard enough of my whining.

From Literature

Related Words

• gripe
• moan
• wail
• whimper