different between whoa vs whop

English

Alternative forms

• woah
• whoah

Etymology

Whoa (c. 1843) is a variant of woa (c. 1840), itself a variant of wo (c. 1787), from who (c. 1450), ultimately from Middle English ho, hoo (interjection), probably from Old Norse hó! (interjection, also, a shepherd's call). Compare German ho, Old French ho ! (“hold!, halt!”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /w??/, /???/
• (US) enPR: w?, hw?, IPA^(key): /wo?/, /?o?/
• Rhymes: -??
• Homophone: woe (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Interjection

whoa

1. Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down.

   Whoa, Nelly!
2. An expression of surprise.

   Whoa, are you serious?

3. Used as a meaningless filler in song lyrics.
   • 2003, "Weird Al" Yankovic, eBay (song)

     I am the type who is liable to snipe you
     With two seconds left to go, whoa.

   • 2010, Bruce Springsteen, It's a Shame

     And oh whoa girl, it's a shame.
     Oh whoa girl, it's a doggone shame.

Usage notes

An alternative spelling, woah (c. 1856), is common, but it is considered an error by some.

Antonyms

• (stop, said to a horse): giddyup, giddap

Derived terms

• whoa back

Translations

Verb

whoa (third-person singular simple present whoas, present participle whoaing, simple past and past participle whoaed)

1. (transitive) To attempt to slow (an animal) by crying "whoa".
   • 1926, Josephine Demott Robinson, The Circus Lady (page 38)

     He was whoaing the horses loudly, and they did seem to be going faster than usual—in fact, they were galloping.

References

• Whoa! Woah?! Whoah. How an old exclamation became the Internet’s most variously spelled word., Matthew J.X. Malady, Slate

Anagrams

• woah

English

Etymology

From Middle English whappen, a variant of wappen (“to strike; fling; shoot; stun”), probably of imitative origin. Compare Old Norse vappa (“to waddle”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /w?p/, /??p/
• (General American) enPR: wäp, hwäp, IPA^(key): /w?p/, /??p/
• Rhymes: -?p
• Homophone: wop (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Verb

whop (third-person singular simple present whops, present participle whopping, simple past and past participle whopped)

1. (transitive, informal) To throw or move (something) quickly, usually with an impact.
2. (transitive, slang) To administer corporal punishment

Alternative forms

• whap (dialectal)

Derived terms

• whopper
• whopping (adjective and noun)

Noun

whop (plural whops)

1. A blow or strike.

Related terms

• whap

References

Anagrams

• howp