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Whine vs Wince - What's the difference?

whine | wince |

In intransitive terms the difference between whine and wince

is that whine is to move with a whining sound while wince is to flinch as if in pain or distress.

In transitive terms the difference between whine and wince

is that whine is to utter with the sound of a whine while wince is to wash (cloth), dip it in dye, etc., with the use of a wince.

whine

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • a long-drawn, high-pitched complaining cry or sound
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 26 , author=Genevieve Koski , title=Music: Reviews: Justin Bieber: Believe , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=The 18-year-old Bieber can’t quite pull off the “adult” thing just yet: His voice may have dropped a bit since the days of “Baby,” but it still mostly registers as “angelic,” and veers toward a pubescent whine at times. }}
  • a complaint or criticism
  • Verb

    (whin)
  • To utter a high-pitched cry.
  • To make a sound resembling such a cry.
  • The jet engines whined at take off.
  • To complain or protest with a whine or as if with a whine.
  • To move with a whining sound.
  • The jet whined into the air.
  • To utter with the sound of a whine.
  • The child whined all his complaints.
    Kelly Queen was whining that the boss made him put on his tie.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    wince

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sudden movement or gesture of shrinking away.
  • A reel used in dyeing, steeping, or washing cloth; a winch. It is placed over the division wall between two wince pits so as to allow the cloth to descend into either compartment at will.
  • Verb

    (winc)
  • To flinch as if in pain or distress.
  • * (William Shakespeare)
  • I will not stir, nor wince , nor speak a word.
  • * , chapter=17
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=“Perhaps it is because I have been excommunicated. It's absurd, but I feel like the Jackdaw of Rheims.” ¶ She winced and bowed her head. Each time that he spoke flippantly of the Church he caused her pain.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1935, author=
  • , title=The Norwich Victims, chapter=7/2 citation , passage=The two Gordon setters came obediently to heel. Sir Oswald Feiling winced as he turned to go home. He had felt a warning twinge of lumbago.}}
  • To wash (cloth), dip it in dye, etc., with the use of a wince.
  • To kick or flounce when unsteady or impatient.