Whimper
- Whimper
Recorded in many spellings all though all are quite rare, and including
Whimp, Whimper, Whimple, Wimp, Wimper, Wimple, Wimpy and Wimpey, this is an English surname. It has at least two origins. The first is occupational and describes a maker of
'wimplels', an Olde English veil later much associated with nuns. Secondly it may also be locational from the village of Whimple in Devonshire, or Wimpole in Cambridge. The Devonshire village appears in the Domesday Book of
1086 as
'Winpule', from the Olde English pre
7th century
'winn' meaning white and
'pol' a pool. Sadly although the village remains by modern standards
'unspoilt', that is a relative term and it no longer has a clear pool suitable for use as drinking water. Wimpole in Cambridge probably has the same meaning, although the Oxford Directory of English Place Names claims that it means Winn's pool. However with winn meaning white, the argument is circular. Occupational surnames only usually became hereidtary when a son or sometimes a daughter, followed a father or mother into the same line of business. In this case early examples of the recordings taken from the surviving registers of the diocese of Greater London include Alice Whimper at St Mary Aldermary, on
July 15th 1610, Robert Wimpe at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on
August 16th 1688, and William Wimpey at St James Westminster, on
May 30th 1765.
Surnames reference.
2013.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
whimper — (v.) 1510s, probably of imitative origin, or from Ger. wimmern to whimper, moan. The noun is first recorded c.1700 … Etymology dictionary
whimper — [hwim′pər, wim′pər] vi. [? akin to WHINE] to make low, whining, broken sounds, as in crying or in fear vt. to utter or say with a whimper n. a whimpering sound or cry SYN. CRY whimperingly adv … English World dictionary
Whimper — Whim per, n. A low, whining, broken cry; a low, whining sound, expressive of complaint or grief. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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. [1913 Webster] Was there ever yet preacher but there … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Whimper — Whim per, v. t. To utter in alow, whining tone. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
whimper — vb weep, *cry, blubber, wail, keen … New Dictionary of Synonyms
whimper — [v] cry softly bleat, blubber, complain, fuss, mewl, moan, object, pule, snivel, sob, weep, whine; concepts 77,185 Ant. bawl … New thesaurus
whimper — ► VERB ▪ make a series of low, feeble sounds expressive of fear, pain, or discontent. ► NOUN ▪ a whimpering sound. ORIGIN imitative … English terms dictionary
whimper — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ little, slight (esp. AmE), small, soft (esp. AmE) ▪ frightened (esp. AmE), pathetic VERB + WHIMPER … Collocations dictionary
whimper — I UK [ˈwɪmpə(r)] / US [ˈwɪmpər] / US [ˈhwɪmpər] verb Word forms whimper : present tense I/you/we/they whimper he/she/it whimpers present participle whimpering past tense whimpered past participle whimpered a) [intransitive] to make small sounds… … English dictionary
whimper — [[t](h)wɪ̱mpə(r)[/t]] whimpers, whimpering, whimpered 1) VERB If someone whimpers, they make quiet unhappy or frightened sounds, as if they are about to start crying. She lay at the bottom of the stairs, whimpering in pain... [V ing] He made… … English dictionary
