Flail vs. Whip — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Flail and Whip
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Compare with Definitions
Flail
A flail is an agricultural tool used for threshing, the process of separating grains from their husks. It is usually made from two or more large sticks attached by a short chain; one stick is held and swung, causing the other (the swipple) to strike a pile of grain, loosening the husks.
Whip
A whip is a tool designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism.
Flail
A threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it.
Whip
To strike with a strap or rod; lash
Whipped the horse with the reins.
Flail
Wave or swing wildly
His arms flailed as he sought to maintain his balance
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Whip
To afflict, castigate, or reprove severely
“For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
Flail
Beat or flog (someone)
He escorted them, flailing their shoulders with his cane
Whip
To strike or affect in a manner similar to whipping or lashing
Icy winds whipped my face.
Flail
A manual threshing device consisting of a long wooden handle or staff and a shorter, free-swinging stick attached to its end.
Whip
To arouse or excite, especially with words
Whipped the audience into a rage.
Flail
To beat or strike with or as if with a flail
Flailed our horses with the reins.
Whip
To beat (cream or eggs, for example) into a froth or foam.
Flail
To wave or swing vigorously; thrash
Flailed my arms to get their attention.
Whip
(Informal) To snatch, pull, or remove in a sudden manner
He whipped off his cap.
Flail
To thresh using a flail.
Whip
To sew with a loose overcast or overhand stitch.
Flail
To move vigorously or erratically; thrash about
Arms flailing helplessly in the water.
Whip
To wrap or bind (a rope, for example) with twine to prevent unraveling or fraying.
Flail
To strike or lash out violently
Boxers flailing at each other in the ring.
Whip
(Nautical) To hoist by means of a rope passing through an overhead pulley.
Flail
To make energetic but aimless or or ineffectual efforts
"As the end of law school approached, Hill flailed briefly in numerous professional directions" (Molly Worthen).
Whip
(Informal) To defeat soundly
Our team can whip your team.
Flail
To thresh grain.
Whip
To move in a sudden, quick manner; dart
Whipped out to the airport.
Flail
A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
Whip
To move in a manner similar to a whip; thrash or snap about
Branches whipped against the windows.
Flail
A weapon which has the (usually spherical) striking part attached to the handle with a flexible joint such as a chain.
Whip
An instrument, either a flexible rod or a flexible thong or lash attached to a handle, used for driving animals or administering corporal punishment.
Flail
(transitive) To beat using a flail or similar implement.
Whip
A whipping or lashing motion or stroke; a whiplash.
Flail
(transitive) To wave or swing vigorously
Whip
A blow, wound, or cut made by whipping.
Flail
(transitive) To thresh.
Whip
Something, such as a long radio antenna on a motor vehicle, that is similar to a whip in form or flexibility.
Flail
(intransitive) To move like a flail.
He was flailing wildly, but didn't land a blow.
Whip
(Sports) Flexibility, as in the shaft of a golf club
A fishing rod with a lot of whip.
Flail
An instrument for threshing or beating grain from the ear by hand, consisting of a wooden staff or handle, at the end of which a stouter and shorter pole or club, called a swipe, is so hung as to swing freely.
His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn.
Whip
(Sports) A whipper-in.
Flail
An ancient military weapon, like the common flail, often having the striking part armed with rows of spikes, or loaded.
No citizen thought himself safe unless he carried under his coat a small flail, loaded with lead, to brain the Popish assassins.
Whip
A member of a legislative body, such as the US Congress or the British Parliament, charged by that member's party with enforcing party discipline and ensuring attendance.
Flail
An implement consisting of handle with a free swinging stick at the end; used in manual threshing
Whip
A call issued to party members in a lawmaking body to ensure attendance at a particular time.
Flail
Give a thrashing to; beat hard
Whip
A dessert made of sugar and stiffly beaten egg whites or cream, often with fruit or fruit flavoring
Prune whip.
Flail
Move like a flail; thresh about;
Her arms were flailing
Whip
An arm on a windmill.
Whip
(Nautical) A hoist consisting of a single rope passing through an overhead pulley.
Whip
A ride in an amusement park, consisting of small cars that move in a rapid, whipping motion along an oval track.
Whip
A lash; a pliant, flexible instrument, such as a rod (commonly of cane or rattan) or a plaited or braided rope or thong (commonly of leather) used to create a sharp "crack" sound for directing or herding animals.
I had to use the whip to get the sheep's attention.
Whip
The same instrument used to strike a person or animal for corporal punishment or torture.
Once he ran out of appeals, he knew he would soon feel the sting of the whip.
Whip
A blow administered with a whip.
Whip
(hunting) A whipper-in.
Whip
(politics) A member of a political party who is in charge of enforcing the party's policies in votes; a whipper-in.
I was going to vote against the bill, but the party whip came to see me and made it clear I needed to vote for it.
Whip
A document distributed weekly to MPs by party whips informing them of upcoming votes in parliament.
Whip
The regular status of an MP within a parliamentary party, which can be revoked by the party as a disciplinary measure.
To withdraw the whip
Whip
(nautical) A purchase in which one block is used to gain a 2:1 mechanical advantage.
Whip
A mode of personal motorized transportation; an automobile, all makes and models including motorcycles, excluding public transportation.
Come on, let's take my whip so we can get there in time.
Whip
(roller derby) A move in which one player transfers momentum to another.
Hip whip
Whip
A whipping motion; a thrashing about.
I was startled by the whip of the rope when it finally snapped.
Whip
The quality of being whiplike or flexible; suppleness, as of the shaft of a golf club.
Whip
Any of various pieces that operate with a quick vibratory motion
Whip
A spring in certain electrical devices for making a circuit
Whip
(music) A wippen, a rocking component in certain piano actions.
Whip
(historical) A coach driver; a coachman.
Whip
(transitive) To hit with a whip.
The rider whipped the horse.
Whip
To hit with any flexible object.
I whipped her with a newspaper.
Whip
To defeat, as in a contest or game.
Whip
(transitive) To mix in a rapid aerating fashion, especially food.
To whip eggs or cream
Whip
(transitive) To urge into action or obedience.
He whipped the department into shape.
Whip
To enforce a member voting in accordance with party policy.
Whip
To bind the end of a rope with twine or other small stuff to prevent its unlaying: fraying or unravelling.
Whip
To hoist or purchase by means of a whip.
Whip
To sew lightly; specifically, to form (a fabric) into gathers by loosely overcasting the rolled edge and drawing up the thread.
To whip a ruffle
Whip
(transitive) To throw or kick an object at a high velocity.
He whipped the ball at me.
Whip
(ambitransitive) To fish a body of water especially by making repeated casts.
Whip
(intransitive) To snap back and forth like a whip.
The pennants whipped in the wind.
Whip
(intransitive) To move very fast.
The wind whipped through the valley.
Whip
(transitive) To move (something) very fast; often with up, out, etc.
Whip
To transfer momentum from one skater to another.
Whip
(figurative) To lash with sarcasm, abuse, etc.
Whip
To thrash; to beat out, as grain, by striking.
To whip wheat
Whip
To strike with a lash, a cord, a rod, or anything slender and lithe; to lash; to beat; as, to whip a horse, or a carpet.
Whip
To drive with lashes or strokes of a whip; to cause to rotate by lashing with a cord; as, to whip a top.
Whip
To punish with a whip, scourge, or rod; to flog; to beat; as, to whip a vagrant; to whip one with thirty nine lashes; to whip a perverse boy.
Who, for false quantities, was whipped at school.
Whip
To apply that which hurts keenly to; to lash, as with sarcasm, abuse, or the like; to apply cutting language to.
They would whip me with their fine wits.
Whip
To thrash; to beat out, as grain, by striking; as, to whip wheat.
Whip
To beat (eggs, cream, or the like) into a froth, as with a whisk, fork, or the like.
Whip
To conquer; to defeat, as in a contest or game; to beat; to surpass.
Whip
To overlay (a cord, rope, or the like) with other cords going round and round it; to overcast, as the edge of a seam; to wrap; - often with about, around, or over.
Its string is firmly whipped about with small gut.
Whip
To sew lightly; specifically, to form (a fabric) into gathers by loosely overcasting the rolled edge and drawing up the thread; as, to whip a ruffle.
In half-whipped muslin needles useless lie.
Whip
To take or move by a sudden motion; to jerk; to snatch; - with into, out, up, off, and the like.
She, in a hurry, whips up her darling under her arm.
He whips out his pocketbook every moment, and writes descriptions of everything he sees.
Whip
To hoist or purchase by means of a whip.
Whip
To fish (a body of water) with a rod and artificial fly, the motion being that employed in using a whip.
Whipping their rough surface for a trout.
Whip
To move nimbly; to start or turn suddenly and do something; to whisk; as, he whipped around the corner.
With speed from thence he whipped.
Two friends, traveling, met a bear upon the way; the one whips up a tree, and the other throws himself flat upon the ground.
Whip
An instrument or driving horses or other animals, or for correction, consisting usually of a lash attached to a handle, or of a handle and lash so combined as to form a flexible rod.
In his right hand he holds a whip, with which he is supposed to drive the horses of the sun.
Whip
A coachman; a driver of a carriage; as, a good whip.
Whip
One of the arms or frames of a windmill, on which the sails are spread.
Whip
A small tackle with a single rope, used to hoist light bodies.
Whip
A huntsman who whips in the hounds; whipper-in.
Whip
A person (as a member of Parliament) appointed to enforce party discipline, and secure the attendance of the members of a Parliament party at any important session, especially when their votes are needed.
Whip
A whipping motion; a thrashing about; as, the whip of a tense rope or wire which has suddenly parted; also, the quality of being whiplike or flexible; flexibility; suppleness, as of the shaft of a golf club.
Whip
Any of various pieces that operate with a quick vibratory motion, as a spring in certain electrical devices for making a circuit, or a rocking certain piano actions.
Whip
An instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whipping
Whip
A legislator appointed by the party to enforce discipline
Whip
A dessert made of sugar and stiffly beaten egg whites or cream and usually flavored with fruit
Whip
(golf) the flexibility of the shaft of a golf club
Whip
A quick blow with a whip
Whip
Beat severely with a whip or rod;
The teacher often flogged the students
The children were severely trounced
Whip
Defeat thoroughly;
He mopped up the floor with his opponents
Whip
Thrash about flexibly in the manner of a whiplash;
The tall grass whipped in the wind
Whip
Strike as if by whipping;
The curtain whipped her face
Whip
Whip with or as if with a wire whisk;
Whisk the eggs
Whip
Subject to harsh criticism;
The Senator blistered the administration in his speech on Friday
The professor scaled the students
Your invectives scorched the community
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