whimper

From dialectal whimp (“to whine”) +‎ -er (frequentative suffix). Compare German wimmern (“to whimper, whine”).

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• Rhymes: -ɪmpə(ɹ)

whimper (plural whimpers)

1. A low intermittent sob.

whimper (third-person singular simple present whimpers, present participle whimpering, simple past and past participle whimpered)

1. To cry or sob softly and intermittently.

   The lonely puppy began to whimper as soon as we left the room.

   • 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

     At the sight of Mr. Utterson, the housemaid broke into hysterical whimpering; and the cook, crying out "Bless God! it's Mr. Utterson," ran forward as if to take him in her arms.

2. To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain.
   • Latimer

     Was there ever yet preacher but there were gainsayers that spurned, that winced, that whimpered against him?

3. To say something in a whimpering manner.

   "Master, please don't punish me!" he whimpered.

• See also Thesaurus:weep

• whimperative