whoop

[hoop, hoo p; especially for 1, 3, 4, 6–12 hwoop, hwoo p, woop, woo p]

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noun

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

the sound made by a person suffering from whooping cough.

verb (used without object)

to utter a loud cry or shout in expressing enthusiasm, excitement, etc.

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

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

verb (used with object)

to utter with or as if with a whoop.

to whoop to or at.

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

interjection

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

Verb Phrases

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

Idioms

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

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

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for whoop

squawk, jeer, hoot, boo, shriek, howl, bellow, cry, cheer, shout, holler, yell, scream

Examples from the Web for whoop

Contemporary Examples of whoop

In a spontaneous act of call and response, we all whoop and start clapping back, united by euphoria.
Subway Euphoria
Jessi Klein
November 5, 2008

Historical Examples of whoop

It was the Indian whoop, which her father had taught her in their woodland rambles at home.
The Green Satin Gown
Laura E. Richards
But I think some of these people must have gone out of their minds to whoop it up so.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian Battlefields
Lieut. Howard Payson
For every whoop of the Hurons, the Iroquois give an angry yell of defiance.
Harper's Young People, July 6, 1880
Various
It was terrible to leap and whoop and whistle; her very soul revolted.
The Very Small Person
Annie Hamilton Donnell
All of the Emily gang set up a whoop of joy, and 'twas answered from the yacht.
Cape Cod Stories
Joseph C. Lincoln

British Dictionary definitions for whoop

whoop

verb

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

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

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

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

whoop it up (wʊp, wuːp) informal

to indulge in a noisy celebration
USto arouse enthusiasm

noun

a loud cry, esp one expressing enthusiasm or excitement

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

not worth a whoop informal worthless

Word Origin for whoop

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

Word Origin and History for whoop

mid-14c., houpen, partly imitative, partly from Old French houper "to cry out," also imitative. It is attested as an interjection from at least mid-15c. The noun is recorded from c.1600. Extended form whoopee is attested from 1845, originally American English; whoopee cushion is attested from 1960. Phrase whoop it up "create a disturbance" is recorded from 1884. Expression whoop-de-do is recorded from 1929. Whooping cough (1739) is now the prevalent spelling of hooping cough; whooping crane is recorded from 1791.

whoop in Medicine

whoop

[hōōp, wōōp]

n.

The paroxysmal gasp characteristic of whooping cough.