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Simper vs Whimper - What's the difference?

simper | whimper |

As verbs the difference between simper and whimper

is that simper is to smile in a foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, coy, or smug manner while whimper is to cry or sob softly and intermittently.

As nouns the difference between simper and whimper

is that simper is a foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, or affected smile; a smirk while whimper is a low intermittent sob.

simper

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To smile in a foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, coy, or smug manner.
  • * 1892 , , The American Claimant , ch. 21:
    • Why, look at him—look at this simpering self-righteous mug!
  • * 1915 , , The Voice In The Fog , ch. 24:
    • How the fools kotowed and simpered while I looked over their jewels and speculated upon how much I could get for them!
  • (obsolete) To glimmer; to twinkle.
  • * Herbert
    • Yet can I mark how stars above / Simper and shine.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, or affected smile; a smirk.
  • * 1843 , , Book 2, Ch. 2, "St. Edmundsbury":
    • Yes, another world it was, when these black ruins, white in their new mortar and fresh chiselling, first saw the sun as walls, long ago. Gauge not, with thy dilettante compasses, with that placid dilettante simper , the Heaven's—Watchtower of our Fathers, the fallen God's—Houses, the Golgotha of true Souls departed!
  • * 1972 , , The Levanter (2009 edition), ISBN 9780755117635, p. 158:
    • He paused, and then a strange expression appeared on his lips. It was very like a simper .

    See also

    * smirk * shit-eating grin

    References

    Anagrams

    *

    whimper

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A low intermittent sob.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cry or sob softly and intermittently.
    • The lonely puppy began to whimper as soon as we left the room.
  • * 1886 , (Robert Louis Stevenson), (Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde)
    • At the sight of Mr. Utterson, the housemaid broke into hysterical whimpering ; and the cook, crying out "Bless God! it's Mr. Utterson," ran forward as if to take him in her arms.
  • To cry with a low, whining, broken voice; to whine; to complain.
  • * Latimer
    • Was there ever yet preacher but there were gainsayers that spurned, that winced, that whimpered against him?
  • To say something in a whimpering manner.
    • "Master, please don't punish me!" he whimpered .

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * whimperative