Whilst
(Whilst) adv. [From Whiles; cf. Amongst.] While. [Archaic]
Whilst the emperor lay at Antioch.
Gibbon. The whilst,
in the meantime; while. [Archaic.] Shak.
Whim
(Whim) n. [Cf. Whimbrel.] (Zoöl.) The European widgeon. [Prov. Eng.]
Whim
(Whim), n. [Cf. Icel. hwima to wander with the eyes, vim giddiness, Norw. kvima to whisk or
flutter about, to trifle, Dan. vimse to skip, whisk, jump from one thing to another, dial. Sw. hvimsa to
be unsteady, dizzy, W. chwimio to move briskly.]
1. A sudden turn or start of the mind; a temporary eccentricity; a freak; a fancy; a capricious notion; a humor; a
caprice.
Let every man enjoy his whim.
Churchill. 2. (Mining) A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or
water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes; — called also whim gin, and whimsey.
Whim gin (Mining),
a whim. See Whim, 2. — Whim shaft (Mining), a shaft through which ore,
water, etc., is raised from a mine by means of a whim.
Syn. — Freak; caprice; whimsey; fancy. — Whim, Freak, Caprice. Freak denotes an impulsive, inconsiderate
change of mind, as by a child or a lunatic. Whim is a mental eccentricity due to peculiar processes or
habits of thought. Caprice is closely allied in meaning to freak, but implies more definitely a quality of
willfulness or wantonness.
Whim
(Whim), v. i. To be subject to, or indulge in, whims; to be whimsical, giddy, or freakish. [R.] Congreve.
Whimbrel
(Whim"brel) n. [Cf. Whimper.] (Zoöl) Any one of several species of small curlews, especially
the European species called also Jack curlew, half curlew, stone curlew, and tang whaup. See Illustration
in Appendix.
Hudsonian or,
Eskimo,
whimbreal,
the Hudsonian curlew.
Whimling
(Whim"ling) n. [Whim + - ling.] One given to whims; hence, a weak, childish person; a child.
Go, whimling, and fetch two or three grating loaves.
Beau. & Fl. Whimmy
(Whim"my) a. Full of whims; whimsical.
The study of Rabbinical literature either finds a man whimmy or makes him so.
Coleridge. Whimper
(Whim"per) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whimpered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Whimpering.] [Cf. Scot. whimmer,
G. wimmern.] To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain; as, a child whimpers.
Was there ever yet preacher but there were gainsayers that spurned, that winced, that whimpered against
him?
Latimer. Whimper
(Whim"per), v. t. To utter in alow, whining tone.
Whimper
(Whim"per), n. A low, whining, broken cry; a low, whining sound, expressive of complaint or
grief.
Whimperer
(Whim"per*er) n. One who whimpers.