Tom had won a toy at a raffle. He called his kids together to ask which one should have the present.
“Who is the most obedient?” he asked. “Who never talks back to mother? Who does everything she says?”
Five small voices answered in unison. “Okay, dad, you get the toy.”
n. Marine mollusc with a spiral shell. [old english]
WHELM
v. Poet. - engulf.
- crush with weight. [old english]
WHELP
—n. - young dog; puppy.
- archaic cub.
- ill-mannered child or youth. —v. (also absol.) Give birth to (a whelp or whelps or (derog.) A child). [old english]
WHERE
—interrog. Adv. - in or to what place or position? 2 in what respect? (where does it concern us?). —rel. Adv. (prec. By place etc.) In or to which (places where they meet). —conj. - in or to the or any place, direction, or respect in which (go where you like; tick where applicable).
- and there (reached crewe, where the car broke down). —pron. What place? (where do you come from?). —n. Place; scene of something (see *when n.). [old english]
WHICH
—interrog. Adj. Asking for choice from a definite set of alternatives (which john do you mean?; say which book you prefer). —rel. Adj. Being the one just referred to; and this or these (ten years, during which time they admitted nothing). —interrog. Pron. - which person or persons? (which of you is responsible?).
- which thing or things? (say which you prefer). —rel. Pron. (poss. Of which, whose) 1 which thing or things, usu. Introducing a clause not essential for identification (the house, which is empty, has been damaged).
- used in place of that after in or that (there is the house in which i was born; that which you have just seen). [old english]
WHIFF
n. - puff or breath of air, smoke, etc.
- smell.
- (foll. By of) trace of scandal etc.
- small cigar. [imitative]
WHILE
—n. Period of time (a long while ago; waited a while; all this while). —conj. - during the time that; for as long as; at the same time as (while i was away, the house was burgled; fell asleep while reading).
- in spite of the fact that; whereas (while i want to believe it, i cannot). —v. (-ling) (foll. By away) pass (time etc.) In a leisurely or interesting way. —rel. Adv. (prec. By time etc.) During which (the summer while i was abroad). between whiles in the intervals. For a while for some time. In a while soon. The while in the meantime. Worth while (or worth one's while) worth the time or effort spent. [old english]
WHINE
—n. - complaining long-drawn wail as of a dog.
- similar shrill prolonged sound.
- querulous tone or complaint. —v. (-ning) emit or utter a whine; complain. [old english]
WHIRL
—v. - swing round and round; revolve rapidly.
- (foll. By away) convey or go rapidly in a vehicle etc.
- send or travel swiftly in an orbit or a curve.
- (of the brain etc.) Seem to spin round. —n. - whirling movement.
- state of intense activity (the social whirl).
- state of confusion (in a whirl). give it a whirl colloq. Attempt it. [old norse, and low german or dutch]
WHIRR
—n. Continuous rapid buzz or soft clicking sound. —v. (-rr-) make this sound. [scandinavian]
