different between whine vs vow

English

Etymology

From Middle English whynen, hwinen, whinen, from Old English hw?nan (“to rush, to whizz, to squeal, to whine”), from Proto-West Germanic *hw?nan, from Proto-Germanic *hw?nan?, from Proto-Indo-European *?wey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Old Norse hvína, whence Icelandic hvína, Norwegian hvine, Swedish vina, and Danish hvine.

Despite the strong similarity in sound and meaning, not related with German weinen, Dutch wenen, from Proto-Germanic *wain?n?.

Pronunciation

• enPR: w?n, IPA^(key): /wa?n/, [?a??n], [????n], [?ä?n], [??e?n]
• (without the wine–whine merger) enPR: hw?n, IPA^(key): /?a?n/
• Rhymes: -a?n
• Homophone: wine (accents with the wine-whine merger)

Noun

whine (plural whines)

1. A long-drawn, high-pitched complaining cry or sound.
2. A complaint or criticism.

Translations

Verb

whine (third-person singular simple present whines, present participle whining, simple past and past participle whined)

1. (intransitive) To utter a high-pitched cry.
2. (intransitive) To make a sound resembling such a cry.

   The jet engines whined at take off.

3. (intransitive) To complain or protest with a whine or as if with a whine.
4. (intransitive) To move with a whining sound.

5. (transitive) To utter with the sound of a whine.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:complain

Translations

Middle English

Verb

whine

1. Alternative form of whynen

English

Etymology

From Middle English vowe, voue, that from Old French vut, in turn from Latin v?tum (“a promise, dedication, vow”), from vov?re (“to promise, vow”). Doublet of vote.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va?/
• Rhymes: -a?

Noun

vow (plural vows)

1. A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.

2. A declaration or assertion.
3. (obsolete) A votive offering.
   • 1786, Richard Payne Knight, The Worship of Priapus:

     There are also waxen vows, that represent other parts of the body mixed with them; but of these there are few in comparison of the number of the Priapi.

Usage notes

• One normally makes or takes a vow, or simply vows (see below).
• Commonly mentioned vows include those of silence, obedience, poverty, chastity, and celibacy.
• 'to keep/pay/fulfill a vow' = to honor a vow
• 'to break a vow' = to dishonor a vow

Translations

Verb

vow (third-person singular simple present vows, present participle vowing, simple past and past participle vowed)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To make a vow; to promise.

   • When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.

   • 1673, Richard Baxter, Christian Directory

     We do not vow that we will never sin, nor neglect a duty (nor ought we to do so).

2. (transitive) To make a vow regarding (something).

   The wronged woman vowed revenge.

3. To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation.

   The rebels vowed to continue their fight.

Translations

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

• vow in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• vow in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• vow at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• WOV, WVO