from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Whip \Whip\, n. [OE. whippe. See {Whip}, v. t.]
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1. An instrument or driving horses or other animals, or for
correction, consisting usually of a lash attached to a
handle, or of a handle and lash so combined as to form a
flexible rod. "[A] whip's lash." --Chaucer.
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In his right hand he holds a whip, with which he is
supposed to drive the horses of the sun. --Addison.
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2. A coachman; a driver of a carriage; as, a good whip.
--Beaconsfield.
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3. (Mach.)
(a) One of the arms or frames of a windmill, on which the
sails are spread.
(b) The length of the arm reckoned from the shaft.
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4. (Naut.)
(a) A small tackle with a single rope, used to hoist light
bodies.
(b) The long pennant. See {Pennant}
(a)
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5. A huntsman who whips in the hounds; whipper-in.
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6. (Eng. Politics)
(a) A person (as a member of Parliament) appointed to
enforce party discipline, and secure the attendance of
the members of a Parliament party at any important
session, especially when their votes are needed.
(b) A call made upon members of a Parliament party to be
in their places at a given time, as when a vote is to
be taken.
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7. A whipping motion; a thrashing about; as, the whip of a
tense rope or wire which has suddenly parted; also, the
quality of being whiplike or flexible; flexibility;
suppleness, as of the shaft of a golf club.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
8. (Mech.) Any of various pieces that operate with a quick
vibratory motion, as a spring in certain electrical
devices for making a circuit, or a rocking certain piano
actions.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{Whip and spur}, with the utmost haste.
{Whip crane}, or {Whip purchase}, a simple form of crane
having a small drum from which the load is suspended,
turned by pulling on a rope wound around larger drum on
the same axle.
{Whip gin}. See {Gin block}, under 5th {Gin}.
{Whip grafting}. See under {Grafting}.
{Whip hand}, the hand with which the whip is used; hence,
advantage; mastery; as, to have or get the whip hand of a
person. --Dryden.
{Whip ray} (Zool.), the European eagle ray. See under {Ray}.
{Whip roll} (Weaving), a roll or bar, behind the reeds in a
loom, on which the warp threads rest.
{Whip scorpion} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
arachnids belonging to {Thelyphonus} and allied genera.
They somewhat resemble true scorpions, but have a long,
slender bristle, or lashlike organ, at the end of the
body, instead of a sting.
{Whip snake} (Zool.), any one of various species of slender
snakes. Specifically:
(a) A bright green South American tree snake ({Philodryas
viridissimus}) having a long and slender body. It is
not venomous. Called also {emerald whip snake}.
(b) The coachwhip snake.
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