whine

Meaning

Noun

1. A long-drawn, high-pitched complaining cry or sound.
2. A complaint or criticism.

Verb

1. To utter a high-pitched cry.
2. To make a sound resembling such a cry.
3. To complain or protest with a whine or as if with a whine.
4. To move with a whining sound.
5. To utter with the sound of a whine.

Synonyms

whimper

complain

snivel

groan

howl

moan

gripe

wail

grizzle

cry

😢

grouse

grumble

yawp

bleat

lament

grouch

sing

screech

screak

yammer

whinge

skreak

bay

kvetch

beef

weep

bellyache

bitch

blubber

capitulate

carp

creak

fuss

murmur

nag

niggle

plaint

quibble

shout

sniffle

sob

😭

sound

🔉

squeak

to

whining

whistle

yelp

yip

yowl

pule

quest

noodge

rant

roar

say die

grip

grievance

as a child

fret

singing

blare out

crab

🦀

snuffle

nit-pick

song

🎶

blare

be discontented

yaup

ululate

ululation

complaint

cavil

cant

buzz

be a crybaby

be easy to move tears

whizz

bray

yawl

bother

hoot

howling

hiss

grunt

mewl

growl

yell

wrawl

yelping

nudge

oink

pipe

piping

peenge

plaintiveness

plangent

Pronounced as (IPA)

/waɪn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: whynen

Inherited from Old English: hwīnan

Cognate with Old Norse: hvína

Cognate with Icelandic: hvína

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: kvina

Cognate with Swedish: vina

Cognate with Danish: hvine

In summary

From Middle English whynen, hwinen, whinen, from Old English hwīnan (“to rush, to whizz, to squeal, to whine”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwīnan, from Proto-Germanic *hwīnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Old Norse hvína, whence Icelandic hvína, Norwegian Nynorsk kvina, Swedish vina, and Danish hvine. Despite the strong similarity in sound and meaning, not related with German weinen, Dutch wenen, from Proto-Germanic *wainōną (for which see dialectal English ween (“to weep, lament”)).