Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 6 quhinge, quhynge, 9 winge, wheenge, 8 whindge, 7– whinge. [North. form of OE. hwinsian, corresp. to OHG. win(i)sôn (MHG. winsen; cf. MHG., G. winseln):—OTeut. *χwinisōjan, f. root of hwínan to WHINE. For the suffix cf. OE. clǽnsian to CLEANSE, bletsian to BLESS, rícsian to rule, ON. hreinsa to cleanse; for the phonology of the form whinge cf. CLENGE, ringe, north. forms of CLEANSE, RINSE.] intr. To whine. Hence Whinging vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
a. 1150. MS. C. C. C. Camb. 303, 125/7. Mid hwinsunge & mid dreoriʓum mode hio [sc. the dogs] cerdon ealle onʓean to þan hunten. Ibid., 126/14. Þa hundes ne ʓeswicon to hwinsianne mid ceariendre stæmne.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XIII. iii. 28. The remanent of that questing sort,… about the master hunteir With quhyngeand mouthis quaikand standis for feir. Ibid., 32. Thai hald thar mowthis still, Thar quhingeing and thar questing at his will Refrenis.
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tractates, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 8. Dum doggis, quha … dar nother quhryne nor quhynge.
1720. C’tess Cowper, Diary (1864), 152. The second Time she said, whingeing [etc.].
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., I. i. Daft Gowk! leave off that silly whindging Way.
1727. P. Walker, Life Semple, etc. (1827), 316. You will die honourably before many Witnesses,… and I will die whinging upon a Pickle Straw.
1728. Ramsay, Last Sp. Miser, xviii. The mair they whing’d, it gart me hug My swelling Purses.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1792), I. v. 159. A little beggar boy,… whinging and shivering with cold.
1790. Burns, Elegy Capt. M— H—, Epit. viii. Ony whiggish whingin’ sot.
a. 1837. R. Nicoll, Poems (1842), 17. I needna greet, What gude on earth wad whingeing do?
1867. P. Fitzgerald, Seventy-five Brooke St., I. xxi. This mean, whinging fellow.
