whewn.1
/hjuː/, /h(w)juː/, /hwjuː/, /wjuː/, U.S. /hju/ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > wind instrument > pipe > [noun]
pipeOE
whewc1475
chalumeau1713
mouth pipe1728
tube1820
toodle-pipe1890
c1475 Cath. Angl. (Add. MS.) 415/2 A Whewe, fistula.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 6051 For to wacche and to wake for wothis of harme, With qwistlis & qwes, & other qwaint gere.
2.
a. A sound as of whistling or of something rushing through the air; spec. the cry of the plover.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > other vocal sounds > [noun] > whistling
whistlingc897
whistle1447
whew1513
whewing?1590
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > sibilant sound > [noun] > rushing sibilant sound
whew1513
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > shrill quality > [noun] > whistle
whew1513
whistling1513
whiplinga1529
whist1579
whewing?1590
siffling1603
sifflement1607
whistlea1648
whutea1663
whiff1712
whoop1840
whiffle1972
the world > animals > birds > order Charadriiformes > [noun] > family Charadriidae > member of (plover) > cry of
wheeple1793
whewing1818
whew1839
wheep1984
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vii. xi. 46 Than from the hevin dovne quhyrland wyth a quhew Come queyne Juno.
c1610 Robin Hood & Curtall Fryer (Ritson) xxxi The fryer set his fist to his mouth, And whuted whues three.
1710 T. Ruddiman in G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneis (new ed.) Gloss. Quhew, the sound which a bird's wings make in the air. Scot. Bor. a Few, vox ex sono conficta.
1807 in W. Scott Minstrelsy Sc. Border (new ed.) II. Then o'er the moss, where as they came, With many a brank and whew.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. v. vi. 269 The whew of lead still singing in their ears.
1839 C. Darwin in R. Fitzroy & C. Darwin Narr. Surv. Voy. H.M.S. Adventure & Beagle III. xv. 353 The yelping of the guid-guid, and the sudden whew-whew of the cheucau.
1851 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm (ed. 2) II. 22 The shrill whew of the plover.
b. dialect. A factory hooter.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > instruments for measuring time > signal marking the time > [noun] > hooter or siren
whew1869
hooter1878
society > occupation and work > work > times or periods of work > [noun] > stopping work > signal for starting or stopping time
whew1869
hooter1878
knock-off1902
society > communication > indication > signalling > audible signalling > signalling with other sounding instruments > [noun] > hooter or siren
whew1869
hooter1878
siren1879
wave-siren1881
siren alarm1950
1869 J. Hartley Halifax Clock Almanack 48 Yond's th' whew, soa we mun goa an' do another bit for th' maister.
1929 J. B. Priestley Good Compan. iv. 118 Bruddersford has an elaborate system of factory buzzers—usually known as whews.
1934 J. B. Priestley Eng. Journey vi. 194 Time for them had been marked by the sound of its [sc. the mill's] hooter—locally known as a ‘whew’.
3. An utterance of the interjection whew!
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or exclamation > [noun] > other specific cries or exclamations
O?c1225
heyc1400
hoc1405
whoopc1450
oha1535
ooh1602
whowb1602
phew1613
hogmanay1692
ah1712
yo-hope1724
whew1751
whoo1763
yah1812
yo-heave-ho1813
yoicks1817
yo-he-ho1827
yo1830
boo1833
yoick1854
hot-cha-cha1932
ooh-la-la1952
ooh-ah1957
eina1971
eish2005
1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle I. xxii. 161 He uttered a long and loud whew! which was succeeded by an exclamation of ‘Damn my old shoes! a bite by G——!’
1847 A. Helps Friends in Council I. i. iii A sound from the old oak, like an ‘ah’ or a ‘whew’.
1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! xix At sight of which Yeo gave a long wheugh.
4. (Also whew-duck) = whewer n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > member of genus Anas (miscellaneous) > anas penelope (Eurasian widgeon) > female
whewer1634
whistling widgeon1668
whew-duck1804
1804 T. Bewick Hist. Brit. Birds II. 352 (heading) Wigeon. Whewer, Whim, or Pandled Whew.
1852 W. Macgillivray Hist. Brit. Birds V. 83 Mareca Penelope. The European Wigeon. Common Wigeon. Whew Duck. Pandle-Whew.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
whewn.2
dialect.
A hurry; esp. in all of a whew, in a hurry, impatient or excited.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > with rapid action [phrase] > in haste or in a hurry
in (also on) a resea1400
in haste?1569
on (also upon) the (spurs or) spur1655
(all) in a rush1876
all of a whew1905
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [noun] > haste > a hurry
hurry1660
hurry-scurry1753
sherry1821
whew1905
1905 in Eng. Dial. Dict. VI. 453/1 Sec a whew he's in.
1922 A. Brown Old Crow xi. 119 He wants me to go down in his river pastur', choppin'. All of a whew to git at it.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
whewv.1
/hjuː/, /h(w)juː/, /hwjuː/, /wjuː/, U.S. /hju/ intransitive. To whistle; to make a whistling or rustling noise; to utter the interjection whew!
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > other vocal sounds > [verb (intransitive)] > whistle
whistlec1000
whewc1475
whoo1599
pipea1616
wheep1808
wheeple1818
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > shrill quality > sound shrill [verb (intransitive)] > whistle
sifflec1400
pipec1405
round?1440
whewc1475
whistle1484
pipple1592
wheetle1825
whiffle1832
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or exclamation > cry or exclaim [verb (intransitive)] > specific exclamations
ho1377
heave hoa1400
howc1450
whew1765
oh-oh1833
oh1837
yo-heave-ho1857
phew1858
ahem1876
oh-my1893
hooch1896
yah1904
ooh1930
ooh-la-la1950
ooh-ooh1960
c1475 Cath. Angl. (Add. MS.) 415/2 To Whewe, fistulare.
1609 T. Dekker Guls Horne-bk. sig. E4v Mewe at passionate speeches, blare at merrie,..whew at the childrens Action, whistle at the songs.
1765 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VII. xxii. 79 Whu—v—w—whew—w—w—whuv'd Margarita.
1848 T. Aird Poet. Wks. 252 Down all at once a wind Came whewing from the hollow of the hill.
1896 Idler Mar. 324 Friend: ‘Whew——w!’ Man in Love (irritably) ‘Don't go “whewing” all over the place like that.’
Derivatives
ˈwhewing n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or exclamation > [noun]
clepingc975
rouna1225
grede13..
voicec1375
cryc1380
outcrya1382
clepea1400
interjectionc1430
scrightc1440
yoa1475
braya1500
shout?a1513
roupingc1550
acclamation1562
outcry1587
whewing?1590
cry-out1814
redound1825
oh-ing1843
shriekc1853
ejaculation1863
blurt1864
spasmodics1865
yo-yoing1874
ejaculatory1883
yip-yipping1910
yip1911
yipping1951
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > other vocal sounds > [noun] > whistling
whistlingc897
whistle1447
whew1513
whewing?1590
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > shrill quality > [noun] > whistle
whew1513
whistling1513
whiplinga1529
whist1579
whewing?1590
siffling1603
sifflement1607
whistlea1648
whutea1663
whiff1712
whoop1840
whiffle1972
the world > animals > birds > order Charadriiformes > [noun] > family Charadriidae > member of (plover) > cry of
wheeple1793
whewing1818
whew1839
wheep1984
?1590–1 J. Burel Passage of Pilgremer i, in Poems sig. Ov Evrus..With quhewing, renewing, His bitter blaists againe.
1801 R. Walker Plebian Pol. 23 I met two pa's'ns weh grete geawns on, whewink i' th' wind.
1818 J. Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck I. 49 I heard them [sc. the plovers] aye whewing e'en an' morn.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
whewv.2
/hwjuː//wjuː/ intransitive. To move quickly; to hurry away, depart abruptly (dialect); to bustle about (U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > move swiftly [verb (intransitive)]
lakeOE
flyOE
runOE
scour13..
jace1393
hie1398
spina1400
fleetc1400
glentc1400
stripc1400
suea1450
carryc1450
speed1488
scud1532
streek1598
winga1616
to clip it1616
hackney1617
swifta1618
whirryc1630
dust1673
whew1684
race1702
stroke1735
cut1797
spank1807
skid1815
speela1818
crack1824
skimmer1824
slap1827
clip1832
skeet1838
marvel1841
lick1850
travel1850
rush1852
zip1852
sail1876
rabbit1887
move1906
high-tail1908
to ball the jack1914
buzz1914
shift1922
giddap1938
burn1942
hoosh1943
bomb1966
shred1977
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away [verb (intransitive)] > go away suddenly or hastily
fleec825
runOE
swervea1225
biwevec1275
skip1338
streekc1380
warpa1400
yerna1400
smoltc1400
stepc1460
to flee (one's) touch?1515
skirr1548
rubc1550
to make awaya1566
lope1575
scuddle1577
scoura1592
to take the start1600
to walk off1604
to break awaya1616
to make off1652
to fly off1667
scuttle1681
whew1684
scamper1687
whistle off1689
brush1699
to buy a brush1699
to take (its, etc.) wing1704
decamp1751
to take (a) French leave1751
morris1765
to rush off1794
to hop the twig1797
to run along1803
scoot1805
to take off1815
speela1818
to cut (also make, take) one's lucky1821
to make (take) tracks (for)1824
absquatulize1829
mosey1829
absquatulate1830
put1834
streak1834
vamoose1834
to put out1835
cut1836
stump it1841
scratch1843
scarper1846
to vamoose the ranch1847
hook1851
shoo1851
slide1859
to cut and run1861
get1861
skedaddle1862
bolt1864
cheese it1866
to do a bunkc1870
to wake snakes1872
bunk1877
nit1882
to pull one's freight1884
fooster1892
to get the (also to) hell out (of)1892
smoke1893
mooch1899
to fly the coop1901
skyhoot1901
shemozzle1902
to light a shuck1905
to beat it1906
pooter1907
to take a run-out powder1909
blow1912
to buzz off1914
to hop it1914
skate1915
beetle1919
scram1928
amscray1931
boogie1940
skidoo1949
bug1950
do a flit1952
to do a scarper1958
to hit, split or take the breeze1959
to do a runner1980
to be (also get, go) ghost1986
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > act or do vigorously [verb (intransitive)] > be brisk or active > bustle
buskle1545
bustle1548
buffle1610
buzz1638
fettle1745
fluster1808
spufflea1825
fly (a)round1833
scrimmage1833
to come mumbudgeting1872
whew1873
spry1885
1684 T. Otway Atheist iii. 32 Methought indeed the Coach whew'd it away a little faster than ordinary.
a1743 J. Relph Misc. of Poems (1747) 17 See! owr the field the whurlin sun~shine whiews.
1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘To whew off,’ to turn off abruptly, to depart without ceremony.
1873 A. D. Whitney Other Girls xxxiii. 427 Bel Bree had not been brought up in a New England farm-house, and seen her capable stepmother ‘whew round’, to be hard put to it, now, over half a dozen cups and tumblers more or less.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
whewint.
/hjuː/, /h(w)juː/, /hwjuː/, U.S. /hju/ An exclamation of the nature of a whistle uttered by a person as a sign of astonishment, disgust, dismay, etc. The identity of the word in the first quot. is uncertain.
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or exclamation > [interjection] > other specific cries or exclamations
oeOE
heya1225
ouc1300
we13..
hac1320
how1377
how now?c1380
vaha1382
ha a!c1386
ha ha!c1386
hoa1400
ohoa1400
yowc1440
yoa1475
heh1475
hey ho?c1475
huffc1485
wemaya1500
whewa1500
wow1513
huffa?1520
gup?1528
ist1540
whow1542
hougha1556
whoo1570
good-now1578
ooh1602
phew1604
highday1606
huh1608
whoo-whoop1611
sessaa1616
tara1672
hegh1723
hip1735
waugha1766
whoofa1766
jee1786
goody1796
yaw1797
hech1808
whoo-ee1811
whizz1812
yah1812
soh1815
sirs1816
how1817
quep1822
soho1825
ow1834
ouch1838
pfui1838
suz1844
shoo1845
yoop1847
upsadaisy1862
houp-la1870
hooch1871
nu1892
ouff1898
upsy1903
oo-er1909
ooh-wee1910
eina1913
oops1921
whoopsie1923
whoops-a-daisy1925
hot-cha-cha1929
upsadaisy1929
walla1929
hotcha1931
hi-de-ho1936
po po po1936
ho-de-ho1941
oh, oh1944
oopsy1956
chingas1984
bambi2007
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > other vocal sounds > [interjection] > whistle
whewa1500
a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (National Libr. Scotl. 651) viii. l. 4949 Ȝhit þai wiþin set wp a schout And cryit lowde and said ‘Quhewe! Now haif we heire the Montagew.’
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. ii. 29 A plague vpon it when theeues can not be true one to another: They whistle, Whew, a plague vpon you all. View more context for this quotation
a1648 W. Percy Cuck-queanes & Cuckolds Errants (1824) iii. iv. 38 Don... Come on thy ways. Joi. I come. Pig. Wheu heu, wheu heu, now goe thy wayes.
1728 A. Ramsay Lure 110 Whieu,—Whieu,—he whistled.
1765 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VII. xxii. 79 Whu—v—w—whew—w—w—whuv'd Margarita.
1767 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy IX. xxxiii. 144 Wheu—u—u— cried my father; beginning the sentence with an exclamatory whistle.
1770 R. Cumberland West Indian ii. viii Whuh! What's the hurry the man's in?
1800 E. D. Clarke in Life (1824) v. 433 And now let the scene change—Whew!—away with inscriptions!
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering II. 338 ‘But how did your joint production look the next morning?’.. ‘Wheugh! capital—not three words required to be altered.’
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xiv. 119 He knew the old gentleman's character well; and a more unscrupulous old—whyou—he did not conclude the sentence.
1898 ‘H. S. Merriman’ Roden's Corner xxxii ‘Whew!’ ejaculated Roden, when the danger seemed to be past, and they could breathe again.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1c1475n.21905
v.1c1475v.21684
int.a1500