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Whim vs Prank - What's the difference?

whim | prank | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between whim and prank

is that whim is a fanciful impulse, or whimsical idea while prank is an evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.

As a verb prank is

to adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.

As an adjective prank is

full of gambols or tricks.

whim

English

(wikipedia whim)

Etymology 1

Apocopal derivation of "whim-wham."

Noun

(en noun)
  • A fanciful impulse, or whimsical idea
  • * Churchill
    • Let every man enjoy his whim .
  • (mining) A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes
    • Synonyms
    * (fancy) lark, especially in phrase on a whim
    Derived terms
    * on a whim * whim gin * whim shaft * whimsical

    External links

    * Picture of a horse-powered whim used to wind the cables on to work the mine between the depth of 50 feet to 500 feet - photo taken at Gympie, Queensland, Australia

    Etymology 2

    Compare whimbrel.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bird, the European widgeon.

    • prank

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.
  • *, II.4.2.ii:
    • Hercules, after all his mad pranks upon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of hellebor, which an Antieyrian administered unto him.
  • A practical joke or mischievous trick.
  • * Shakespeare
    • His pranks have been too broad to bear with.
  • * Sir Walter Raleigh
    • The harpies played their accustomed pranks .
    Pranks may be funny, but remember that some people are aggressive.
    He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * prankish * pranksome * prankster

    Verb

  • To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
  • * Spenser
    • In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank .
  • * 1748 , , B:II
    • And there a Sea?on atween June and May,
    Half prankt with Spring, with Summer half imbrown'd,
    A li?tle?s Climate made, where, Sooth to ?ay,
    No living Wight could work, ne cared even for Play.
  • * 1880 , For Spring, by Sandro Botticelli , lines 2–3
    • ''Flora, wanton-eyed
    ''For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
  • To make ostentatious show.
  • * M. Arnold
    • White houses prank where once were huts.
  • To perform a practical joke on; to trick.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2007, date=May 13, author=Karen Crouse, title=Still Invitation Only, but Jets Widen Door for Camp, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=“If someone’s pranking me,” Rowlands remembered thinking, “they’re going to great lengths to make it work.” }}
  • (slang) To call someone's phone and promptly hang up
    • Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.
    I don't have your number in my phone, can you prank me?

    Synonyms

    (call and promptly hang up) missed call, missed-call

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Full of gambols or tricks.
    • (Webster 1913) English transitive verbs