Whippen

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To beat or lash someone or something with a whip-like cord or strap ; to move or pull away suddenly and swiftly
2. An archaic or dialect verb meaning to hit with a flexible lash ; to jerk or snatch something briskly from one place to another
3. To flog or thrash with a thin cord or switch ; to dart, jerk or snatch something rapidly in one motion

Etymology: Before it meant to lash or beat, the root of this verb described motion. It was a quick, jerking movement up and down, and the closely related Dutch and German "wippen" still means to bounce or seesaw. The flogging sense seems to have grown out of that idea of a sharp, swift motion, the way a lash snaps through the air. Modern English "whip" is the descendant of this form, so the older spelling mostly survives in dialect and historical texts. The connection to Dutch and German suggests that the verb came into English from a Low German or Scandinavian source, though the exact route is uncertain.