whoops
- (used to express surprise, mild embarrassment, etc., or as a casual apology.)
Origin of whoops
whoop
- a loud cry or shout, as of excitement or joy.
- the sound made by a person suffering from whooping cough.
- 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.
- 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.
- (used as a cry to attract attention from afar, or to show excitement, encouragement, enthusiasm, etc.)
- whoop up, Informal. to promote or praise; extol: a class reunion where they whoop up the good old days.
- 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
Examples from the Web for whoops
Contemporary Examples of whoops
Of course, this was greeted with a round of applause and whoops from her room of willingly incarcerated followers.
Private, intimate, dirty things are captured and then—whoops!
All those roads and systems have to be maintained . . .and whoops!
More giddy people climb aboard, and again we erupt into applause and whoops.
Historical Examples of whoops
I don't think she ever cared two whoops for me, to tell you the truth.
Good IndianB. M. Bower
For a long time we had ceased to hear the mate's whoops and yells.
FalkJoseph Conrad
We grew uneasy, and then he said two whoops might be heard from his cabin.
The Farmer Boy, and How He Became Commander-In-ChiefMorrison Heady
High-pitched Indians whoops sent a new chill through Nicole.
ShamanRobert Shea
He listened to the whoops and barks in an interval between shots.
The Road to FrontenacSamuel Merwin
whoops
- an exclamation of surprise, as when a person falls over, or of apology
whoop
- 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
- 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
Word Origin and History for whoops
exclamation of dismay, 1925; see oops.
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
(hōōp, wōōp)- The paroxysmal gasp characteristic of whooping cough.