whew

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hwjuː/, /fjuː/, [ʍĭ̥ŭ̥], [ɸĭ̥ŭ̥] [very short and unvoiced]

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uː
• Homophone: phew

Etymology 1

Interjection

whew

1. An expressive sound made indicating the release of one's inner tension; the release of breath; an expression of relief.

   (from strenuous labour)

   Whew! That box weighs a ton!

   (from intense concern)

   Whew! Thank goodness youʼre safe! I thought something terrible had happened to you!

   (from fear of being seen)

   Whew! That cop didnʼt see me! That was a close call!

2. An expression of amazement or surprise.
   • 1981, P. L. Travers, chapter 1, in Mary Poppins, revised edition:

     "...Now I must be off. Whew, it's as cold as the North Pole. Which way is the wind blowing?"

Synonyms

• (expressing relief of tension): phew
• (expressing surprise): wow

Derived terms

• whew duck

 

Related terms

• whoa
• wow

Translations

an expressive sound made indicating the release of one's inner tension

• Estonian: ohh
• Finnish: huh (fi)
• French: ouf (fr)
• German: puh (de), uff (de)
• Hiligaynon: abá
• Hungarian: pfű (hu), hú (hu), fú (hu), huh (hu)
• Ido: hu (io)
• Indonesian: ha (id)
• Kazakh: уһ (uh)
• Malay: huh, uhh
• Navajo: hwáah
• Old Norse: hviss
• Polish: uf (pl), uff (pl)
• Russian: фуф m (fuf), фух (ru) (fux)
• Spanish: uf (es)
• Vietnamese: phù (vi)

an expression of amazement or surprise

• Finnish: huh (fi), huhhuh, huh huh, oho (fi), hoh
• German: puh (de)
• Hiligaynon: abá
• Hungarian: tyű (hu), tyűha (hu), hűha (hu), hű (hu)
• Malay: huh, uhh
• Taos: húwi, yúwi

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} oef (nl)
• French: ^{(please verify)} ouf (fr)

Verb

whew (third-person singular simple present whews, present participle whewing, simple past and past participle whewed)

1. (UK, Scotland, dialect) To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover.

Etymology 2

Verb

whew (third-person singular simple present whews, present participle whewing, simple past and past participle whewed)

1. (intransitive, UK, dialect) To bustle about.

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: hyöriä (fi)