whining
whining — verb
1. to produce a long, high sound that shows pain, unhappiness, or a desire for atte
to produce a long, high sound that shows pain, unhappiness, or a desire for attention (used especially for dogs, other animals, or engines).
The dog was whining by the door, wanting to go outside for its walk.
whine + adverb of place (by the door)
A high, thin whining sound came from the old car's engine.
The puppy whined softly when the vet checked its injured paw.
Eve could hear the neighbour's dog whining all night long during the storm.
The old refrigerator whined loudly every time the motor started up again.
文法句型
whine + adverb of place
whine + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Often used for animals expressing distress or wanting something, and for machines that are old or straining.
常見錯誤
2. to keep complaining about something in an annoying, tearful, or childish way, of
to keep complaining about something in an annoying, tearful, or childish way, often when there is no real reason to be unhappy.
Quan whined about having to wash the dishes every single evening after dinner.
whine + about + [something]
The children whined to their mother that they were bored with the long car ride.
whine + to + [someone] + that-clause
"But I don't want to go to bed yet!" the little girl whined.
Instead of solving the problem, Walid just whined about how unfair everything was.
Noor whined that her phone battery died just before she could finish the game.
文法句型
whine + about + [something]
whine + that + [clause]
whine + to + [someone]
用法筆記
This sense is informal and usually disapproving — it suggests the speaker thinks the complaint is unreasonable or exaggerated. The subject is typically a person, often a child or someone acting childishly.
常見錯誤
3. to give out a sharp, squealing metallic noise during operation — used for machin
to give out a sharp, squealing metallic noise during operation — used for machines, engines, and power tools that are under strain or moving fast.
The circular saw whined loudly when Andrés cut through the thick metal pipe.
machine subject + whined + adverb of manner
Heloísa heard the drill whine as the workers fixed the road outside her flat.
The factory machinery whined as it ran through the night without any rest.
The angle grinder whined loudly as the contractor cut through the thick steel beam.
The old washing machine whined loudly every time it started the spin cycle.
文法句型
whine + adverb of manner
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 1: this sense is purely mechanical — there is no emotion of distress. The sound is harsher and more metallic than the sad sound of an animal.
whining — adjective
1. describes a sound that is long, high-pitched, and unpleasant — such as a siren,
describes a sound that is long, high-pitched, and unpleasant — such as a siren, a crying animal, or a straining machine.
A whining siren woke up the whole neighbourhood at three in the morning.
whining + noun (siren) — typical collocation
The whining sound of the mosquito kept Feng awake all night long.
The car brakes made a terrible whining noise whenever Gita slowed down.
A whining alarm from the building next door could be heard several blocks away.
The whining guitar feedback filled the small concert hall with an unpleasant echo.
- shrill
a very high-pitched and piercing sound, more intense than whining
- high-pitched
neutral description of sound frequency, without suggesting annoyance
用法筆記
Used before nouns referring to devices, animals, or sound sources. Often implies the sound is annoying or indicates a problem.
2. describes a person, their tone of voice, or their behaviour as repeatedly compla
describes a person, their tone of voice, or their behaviour as repeatedly complaining in an annoying, childish, or petulant way.
Noor ignored her brother's whining pleas for a second helping of dessert.
whining + pleas — adjective-noun collocation
The whining tone in his voice made everyone in the room lose their patience.
"I hate this game!" the boy said in a whining voice.
Christopher was tired of his whining coworkers who never offered any solutions.
Her whining attitude during the meeting annoyed everyone at the table.
用法筆記
Almost always disapproving. Describes a person's character or momentary behaviour, not a permanent trait. Frequently paired with voice, tone, attitude, or behaviour.
常見錯誤
whining — noun
1. a long, high-pitched sound that is unpleasant to listen to, such as the cry of a
a long, high-pitched sound that is unpleasant to listen to, such as the cry of an animal or the noise of a machine or the wind.
The whining of the ambulance siren faded slowly into the distance.
the whining of + [device]
We could hear the whining of the wind through cracks in the wooden cabin.
The constant whining of the factory machinery gave Christopher a splitting headache.
The dog's soft whining told Élise that the animal was feeling anxious and afraid.
A faint whining could be heard from somewhere deep inside the broken computer.
- silence
the absence of sound
文法句型
the whining of + [noun]
a whining
用法筆記
Often preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of' to specify the source. Can be modified by adjectives like 'soft', 'loud', 'constant', 'faint'.
2. the act of complaining repeatedly in an annoying, childish way, especially about
the act of complaining repeatedly in an annoying, childish way, especially about something unimportant.
Dad's constant whining about the weather made the trip less enjoyable for everyone.
constant whining about + [topic]
Adaeze told the children to stop their whining and finish their homework quietly.
stop + whining — imperative pattern
After hours of whining about the homework, Sivan finally sat down to complete it.
The manager had no patience for the team's whining about the new office rules.
Enough whining! Let us focus on finding a real solution to the problem.
- acceptance
the act of accepting a situation without complaining
- praise
the expression of approval, opposite of complaint
文法句型
whining about + [something]
constant whining
stop the whining
用法筆記
Uncountable — not used as 'whinings'. Often appears with 'stop' or 'constant' in disapproving contexts.