whine
[ hwahyn, wahyn ]
/ ʰwaɪn, waɪn /
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.
RELATED WORDS
wimp, pessimist, complainer, grouch, dampener, sorehead, grump, crank, crab, killjoy, growler, curmudgeon, crosspatch, faultfinder, crybaby, sniveler, nitpicker, quibbler, niggler, carper
Nearby words
Origin of whine
before 1150; Middle English whinen (v.), Old English hwīnan to whiz; cognate with Old Norse hvīna
Related formswhin·er, nounwhin·ing·ly, adverbun·whin·ing, adjectiveun·whin·ing·ly, adverb
Can be confusedwine whine
Synonym study
2. See complain.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for whiner
British Dictionary definitions for whiner
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 Formswhiner, 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
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