Whim, n. [Cf. Icel. hwima to wander with the eyes, vim giddiness, Norw.
kvima to whisk or flutter about, to trifle, Dan. vimse to skip, whisk,
jump from one thing to another, dial. Sw. hvimsa to be unsteady, dizzy,
W. chwimio to move briskly.]
1. A sudden turn or start of the mind; a temporary eccentricity; a
freak; a fancy; a capricious notion; a humor; a caprice.
Let every man enjoy his whim.
Churchill.
2. (Mining) A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or
steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other
purposes; — called also whim gin, and whimsey.
Whim gin (Mining), a whim. See Whim, 2. — Whim shaft (Mining), a shaft
through which ore, water, etc., is raised from a mine by means of a
whim.
Syn. — Freak; caprice; whimsey; fancy. — Whim, Freak, Caprice. Freak
denotes an impulsive, inconsiderate change of mind, as by a child or a
lunatic. Whim is a mental eccentricity due to peculiar processes or
habits of thought. Caprice is closely allied in meaning to freak, but
implies more definitely a quality of willfulness or wantonness.
Whim, v. i. To be subject to, or indulge in, whims; to be whimsical,
giddy, or freakish. [R.] Congreve.
Whim"brel (?), n. [Cf. Whimper.] (Zoöl) Any one of several species of
small curlews, especially the European species (Numenius phæopus),
called also Jack curlew, half curlew, stone curlew, and tang whaup. See
Illustration in Appendix.
Hudsonian or, Eskimo, whimbreal, the Hudsonian curlew.
Whim"ling (?), n. [Whim + - ling.] One given to whims; hence, a weak,
childish person; a child.
Go, whimling, and fetch two or three grating loaves.
Beau. & Fl.
Whim"my (?), a. Full of whims; whimsical.
The study of Rabbinical literature either finds a man whimmy or makes
him so.
Coleridge.
Whim"per (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whimpered (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Whimpering.] [Cf. Scot. whimmer, G. wimmern.] To cry with a low,
whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain; as, a child whimpers.
Was there ever yet preacher but there were gainsayers that spurned,
that winced, that whimpered against him?
Latimer.
Whim"per, v. t. To utter in alow, whining tone.
Whim"per, n. A low, whining, broken cry; a low, whining sound,
expressive of complaint or grief.
Whim"per*er (?), n. One who whimpers.
Whim"ple (?), v. t. See Wimple.
Whim"ple, v. i. [Cf. Whiffle.] To whiffle; to veer.
{ Whim"sey, Whimsy } (?), n.; pl. Whimseys (#) or Whimsies (#). [See
Whim.]
1. A whim; a freak; a capricious notion, a fanciful or odd conceit.
"The whimsies of poets and painters." Ray.
Men's folly, whimsies, and inconstancy.
Swift.
Mistaking the whimseys of a feverish brain for the calm revelation of
truth.
Bancroft.