[f. WHIP v. + -ING2.] That whips, in various senses.
1. Moving briskly or nimbly; acting vigorously or violently; characterized by such movement or action. (See senses of WHIP v. I.)
[1530: see WHIPPINGLY below.]
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 17. A whipping Mistresse H. (whose toung goeth like the clacke of a Mill).
1656. (title) Divine Fire-works…. Hinting what the Almighty Emanuel is doing in these Wipping Times.
1700. R. Cromwell, in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1898), XIII. 120. A whippinge sneezing cold.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, xxxiii. III. 323. I have a whipping Stomach, and were there fifty Dishes, I always taste of every one.
1895. Meredith, Amazing Marr., xviii. At a whipping pace.
2. Beating with or as with a whip; flogging; lashing; also fig.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Andria, 1. The master of the rogues, a whipping Bedle.
1628. Feltham, Resolves, II. [I.] xxvi. 84. The whipping Satyrist.
1904. R. Cullum, Hound from North, ii. The whipping snow lashed their faces.
1919. 19th Cent., Nov., 968. To become the drilling and whipping masters of the despised soldiery.
b. Whipping Tom: a man who whips others or flagellates himself (see quots. for various uses).
1681. Hickeringill, Vind. Naked Truth, II. 2. A furious chastizing Pædagogue, another Whipping-Tom, that took pleasure to lash and slash.
1715. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., 1I. Pref. 21. A Detachment of the same Croisade, or Holy War, call’d Flagellantes or Whipping-Toms.
a. 1728. W. Kennett, in Aubrey’s Rem. Gentilisme (1881), 59. A Whipping Tom in Kent who disciplined the wandring Maids and Women till they were afraid to walk abroad.
1791. Throsby, Leicester, 356. These whip-men, called Whipping-Toms, are preceded by a bell-man [etc.].
1846. Local Act (Leicester) 9 Vict., c. 29 § 41.
1923. S. H. Skillington, Lett. to Editor. Early on Shrove Tuesday a crowd assembled in the Newarke, Leicester. At the sound of the ‘Pancake Bell’ a number of men and youths began a game of hockey or shinney. About 1 o’clock the ‘Whipping Toms,’ three men in blue smocks with very long wagon whips, began to try to drive the shinney players out with their whips. The game was suppressed by Parliament in 1846.
Hence Whippingly adv.
1530. Palsgr., 844/1. Whyppyngly, hastely, hastiuement. Whyppingly, gorgyasly, gorgiasement.
