Whelm (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whelmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Whelming.]
[OE. whelmen to turn over, akin to OE. whelven, AS. whelfan, hwylfan,
in &?;whylfan, &?;whelfan, to overwhelm, cover over; akin to OS.
bihwelbian, D. welven to arch, G. wölben, OHG. welben, Icel. hvelfa to
overturn; cf. Gr. &?; bosom, a hollow, a gulf.]
1. To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in
something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf.
She is my prize, or ocean whelm them all!
Shak.
The whelming billow and the faithless oar.
Gay.
2. Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse; to
overcome; as, to whelm one in sorrows. "The whelming weight of crime."
J. H. Newman.
3. To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it. [Obs.]
Mortimer.
Whelp (?), n. [AS. hwelp; akin to D. welp, G. & OHG. welf, Icel.
hvelpr, Dan. hvalp, Sw. valp.]
1. One of the young of a dog or a beast of prey; a puppy; a cub; as, a
lion's whelps. "A bear robbed of her whelps." 2 Sam. xvii. 8.