Hypertext Webster Gateway: "whelp"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Whelp \Whelp\, n. [AS. hwelp; akin to D. welp, G. & OHG. welf,
Icel. hvelpr, Dan. hvalp, Sw. valp.]
1. One of the young of a dog or a beast of prey; a puppy; a
cub; as, a lion's whelps. ``A bear robbed of her whelps.''
--2 Sam. xvii. 8.
2. A child; a youth; -- jocosely or in contempt.
That awkward whelp with his money bags would have
made his entrance. --Addison.
3. (Naut.) One of the longitudinal ribs or ridges on the
barrel of a capstan or a windless; -- usually in the
plural; as, the whelps of a windlass.
4. One of the teeth of a sprocket wheel.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Whelp \Whelp\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Whelped}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Whelping}.]
To bring forth young; -- said of the female of the dog and
some beasts of prey.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Whelp \Whelp\, v. t.
To bring forth, as cubs or young; to give birth to.
Unless she had whelped it herself, she could not have
loved a thing better. --B. Jonson.
Did thy foul fancy whelp so black a scheme? --Young.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
whelp
n : young of any of various canines such as a dog or wolf [syn:
{pup}]
v : birth; of dogs [syn: {pup}]
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