whelp

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Noun 1.3 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Old English hwelp, cognate with Dutch welp, obsolete German Welf (modern German Welpe), Old Norse hvelpr ( > Danish hvalp, Icelandic hvolpur, Swedish valp).

[edit] Noun

whelp (plural whelps)

1. the young of a mammal.
2. an insolent youth.
3. one of several wooden strips to prevent wear on a windlass on a clipper-era ship.

[edit] Verb

to whelp (third-person singular simple present whelps, present participle whelping, simple past and past participle whelped)

1. to give birth.

   The bitch whelped.