whining
/waɪn/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈaɪnɪŋ] /waɪn/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈaɪnɪŋ] /ˈ(h)wī-niŋ/ (ame, mw)
whining — verb
- whiningpresent simple I / you / we / they
- whinings3rd person singular
- whininging-ing form
- whiningedpast simple
1. to produce a long, high-pitched cry or noise, often because of pain, unhappiness
to produce a long, high-pitched cry or noise, often because of pain, unhappiness, or mechanical stress — for example, a dog whining at the door to be let out, or a motor whining as it works harder.
The neighbour's dog kept whining all night, keeping everyone awake.
intransitive, often followed by adverb of duration
Mizuki could hear the kitten whining softly from behind the sofa.
The old air conditioner was whining loudly every time it turned on.
As the train slowed down, the brakes began whining against the wheels.
- purr
low, continuous, contented sound made by cats or engines running smoothly
文法句型
whine
whine + adverb
whine + at/for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used for animals (especially dogs and cats) and mechanical objects such as engines, fans, and brakes. Unlike 'howl', which is longer and more mournful, 'whine' describes a shorter, higher-pitched sound.
常見錯誤
2. to express annoyance or unhappiness in a repeated, irritating way that often sou
to express annoyance or unhappiness in a repeated, irritating way that often sounds childish or unreasonable — for example, a teenager whining about having to do chores, or a customer whining that the service is too slow.
The children kept whining about having to go to bed before nine.
whine + about + topic
Élise was whining to her mother that she never got any dessert.
whine + to + person + that-clause
Stop whining and just finish your homework like everyone else.
The customers were whining about the long wait at the restaurant.
Nikos whined that his brother always got a bigger piece of cake.
文法句型
whine + about + noun phrase
whine + to + person + that-clause
whine + that-clause
用法筆記
Carries a strongly negative connotation of childishness or unreasonable dissatisfaction. Unlike the neutral 'complain', whining suggests the complaint is trivial or expressed in an annoying tone. Common in informal speech and parental scolding.
常見錯誤
whining — adjective
- whiningpositive
- more whiningcomparative
- most whiningsuperlative
1. describing a sound that is long, high in tone, and often unpleasant to hear — fo
describing a sound that is long, high in tone, and often unpleasant to hear — for example, a whining engine or a whining musical instrument.
The whining engine of the lawnmower woke up the whole street.
attributive: whining + engine
Christopher could not stand the whining noise from the dentist's drill.
collocation: whining noise
A whining sound came from the speakers every time the microphone was on.
The dog's whining cries grew louder as the storm approached the house.
Tara covered her ears at the whining feedback from the sound system.
- high-pitched
neutral, purely descriptive of tone
- shrill
suggests an unpleasant, piercing quality
文法句型
whining + noun (sound, noise, engine)
用法筆記
Attributive use (before a noun like 'noise' or 'sound') is more common than predicative use (e.g. 'the engine was whining'). Distinguish from the verb sense: the adjective describes the quality of a thing, not the action of making the sound.
常見錯誤
2. describing a person or their manner of speaking as expressing discontent in a wa
describing a person or their manner of speaking as expressing discontent in a way that seems childish, petulant, or unreasonably dissatisfied — for example, a whining tone of voice that annoys everyone in the room.
The manager was tired of the whining tone in the team's emails.
collocation: whining tone
Darius ignored his brother's whining voice and read his book quietly.
Linh's whining attitude made it hard for the group to make progress.
The teacher asked the student to use a less whining voice in class.
Beatrix could not focus with Nora's whining complaints echoing nearby.
文法句型
whining + noun (tone, voice, attitude)
用法筆記
Always negative in tone. Typically modifies nouns related to speech (tone, voice, complaint) or a person's general disposition (attitude). Distinguish from sense adj/1: this sense describes unpleasant complaining behaviour, not the acoustic quality of a sound.
常見錯誤
whining — noun
1. a long, high-pitched sound produced by an animal, person, or machine, often expr
a long, high-pitched sound produced by an animal, person, or machine, often expressing distress or mechanical strain — for instance, the whining of a hungry puppy or the whining of old pipes.
The whining of the ambulance siren could be heard from miles away.
the whining of + [source]
Tamar tried to sleep but the constant whining of the fan kept her awake.
collocation: constant whining
The puppy's whining finally stopped when Nadia gave it some warm milk.
Selim could hear the whining of the old pipes whenever the tap was on.
The whining from the kettle meant the water was ready for the tea.
文法句型
the whining of + noun
whining + verb
用法筆記
Can be used as an uncountable noun (general sound) or as a countable singular noun with a determiner ('a whining'). The 'of' construction ('the whining of the engine') is very common. Distinguish from noun sense 2 by context: if the reference is to an actual sound, it is sense 1; if to complaining behaviour, it is sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. the behaviour of expressing unhappiness or dissatisfaction in an irritating, rep
the behaviour of expressing unhappiness or dissatisfaction in an irritating, repeated way that seems childish or unreasonable — for instance, the constant whining about schoolwork or the endless whining from dissatisfied customers.
Hyun was tired of all the whining about the food at the cafeteria.
the whining about + [topic]
The constant whining from the children was getting on Sofia's nerves.
collocation: constant whining
There was too much whining and not enough action from the staff.
The manager called a meeting to address the whining about the new policy.
Ishaan's endless whining about his workload frustrated the whole team.
- complaining
more neutral in tone
- griping
informal; suggests petty, persistent complaints
- grumbling
quieter, less public expression of dissatisfaction
- praise
expression of approval
- acceptance
willingly receiving circumstances
文法句型
whining + about + noun phrase
whining + from + person/group
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the activity in general. Usually signals disapproval from the speaker. Distinguish from noun sense 1: if the context involves verbal complaints rather than an audible sound, this is the correct sense.