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whine

[ wahyn, hwahyn ]
/ waɪn, ʰwaɪn /
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See synonyms for: whine / whined / whining / whiner on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), whined, whin·ing.
to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc.: The puppies were whining from hunger.
to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way: He is always whining about his problems.
verb (used with object), whined, whin·ing.
to utter with or as if with a whine: I whined my litany of complaints.
noun
a whining utterance, sound, or tone.
a feeble, peevish complaint.
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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

synonym study for whine

2. See complain.

OTHER WORDS FROM whine

whin·er, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH whine

wine, whine
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use whine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whine

whine
/ (waɪn) /

noun
a long high-pitched plaintive cry or moan
a continuous high-pitched sound
a peevish complaint, esp one repeated
verb
to make a whine or utter in a whine

Derived forms of whine

whiner, nounwhining, adjectivewhiningly, adverb

Word Origin for whine

Old English hwīnan; related to Old Norse hvīna, Swedish hvija to scream
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
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