| whooping | <medicine> From Whoop, Whooping cough, the whooper swan. See the Note under Swan. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| whooping cough | <paediatrics> A bacterial infection that has become quite rare due to effective and widespread vaccination programs (DPT vaccine). Only about 4, 500 cases are reported annually in the U.S. Can present as a mild or severe illness. Symptoms include runny nose, low-grade fever, conjunctivitis and a characteristic cough. Coughing spells end in a whoop caused by the forceful inspiration of air. (13 Nov 1997) |
| whooping-cough vaccine | See: diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and pertussis vaccine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| whop | To throw one's self quickly, or by an abrupt motion; to turn suddenly; as, she whapped down on the floor; the fish whapped over. This word is used adverbially in the north of England, as in the United States, when anything vanishes, or is gone suddenly; as, whap went the cigar out of my mouth. Origin: Cf. OE. Quappen to palpitate, E. Quob, quaver, wabble, awhape, wap. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whore | 1. To have unlawful sexual intercourse; to practice lewdness. 2. To worship false and impure gods. Origin: Cf. Icel. Hra. See Whore. A woman who practices unlawful sexual commerce with men, especially one who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a harlot. Synonym: Harlot, courtesan, prostitute, strumpet. Origin: OE. Hore, AS. Hre; akin to D. Hoer, hoere, G. Hure, OHG. Huora, huorra, Icel. Hra, Dan. Hore, Sw. Hora, Goth. Hrs an adulterer, AS. Hr adultery, OHG. Huor, and probably to L. Carus dear. Cf. Charity. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whoredom | 1. The practice of unlawful intercourse with the other sex; fornication; lewdness. 2. The sin of worshiping idols; idolatry. "O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled; they will not . . . Turn unto their God." (Hos. V. 3, 4) Origin: OE. Hordom; cf. Icel. Hrdmr. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whorl | <botany> A ring of leaves, bracts or floral parts borne at the same level on a main stem. (13 Nov 1997) |
| whorled | Marked by or arranged in whorls. See: vorticose, turbinate, convoluted, verticillate. (05 Mar 2000) |
| whort | <botany> The whortleberry, or bilberry. See Whortleberry . See: Whortleberry. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whortle | <botany> The whortleberry, or bilberry. "[He] looked ahead of him from behind a tump of whortles. (R. D. Blackmore) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| whortleberry | <botany> In England, the fruit of Vaccinium Myrtillus; also, the plant itself. See Bilberry. The fruit of several shrubby plants of the genus Gaylussacia; also, any one of these plants. See Huckleberry. Origin: AS. Wyrtil a small shrub (dim. Of wyrt wort) + E. Berry. See Wort, and cf. Huckleberry, Hurtleberry. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |