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whew

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • interjection Used to express strong emotion, such as relief or amazement.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • An exclamation, uttered with a whistling sound, expressing astonishment or dismay.
  • To utter the interjection whew or a sound like it; whistle with a shrill pipe, as a plover or duck.
  • noun A whistling sound, usually noting astonishment.
  • noun Same as whewer.
  • To fly hastily: make great speed. Also whiew. Brockett; Halliwell.
  • To hurry or bustle about; work tempestuously.
  • noun A sudden vanishing away.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb Prov. Eng. & Scot. To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover.
  • noun A sound like a half-formed whistle, expressing astonishment, scorn, or dislike.
  • noun [Prov. Eng.] the European widgeon.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • interjection An expressive sound made indicating the release of one's inner tension; the release of breath; an expression of relief.
  • interjection An expression of amazement or surprise.
  • verb UK, Scotland, dialect To whistle with a shrill pipe, like a plover.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • NTodd has the whole famdamily back together again -- whew!

    October 2006 2006

  • So politically speaking it's one of those "whew" moments, right, because when you hit 10 percent unemployment, the game changes.

    CNN Transcript Aug 7, 2009 2009

  • All I can say is, "whew," and I'm glad I went through a licensed realtor to find my new place.

    Squatters 2008

  • Election Day should be a time to say "whew" and kick back and wait.

    Stacy Parker Aab: On Impeachment 2008

  • The man obviously was a superior being, because other than a muttered "whew" he showed no sign of discomfort.

    outfoxed Diary Entry outfoxed 2002

  • Some time later Toby uttered a low "whew" that caused Chatz, just then in the act of putting the pole back into the water, to hold it suspended in midair.

    Afloat or, Adventures on Watery Trails Alan Douglas

  • Cecil was whistling away when suddenly he gave a tremendous "whew" of astonishment and sprang to his feet.

    Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1896 to 1901 1908

  • In spite of the recent lecture on good manners, the weaver could not help giving a long "whew" of astonishment, and the others were so amused by his _naiveté_ that the merriment flitted all over their faces, though for courtes y's sake thay forbore actual laughter; while

    News from Nowhere 1892

  • In spite of the recent lecture on good manners, the weaver could not help giving a long "whew" of astonishment, and the others were so amused by his naiveté that the merriment flitted all over their faces, though for courtesy's sake they forbore actual laughter; while I looked from one to the other in a puzzled manner, and at last said:

    News From Nowhere, or, An Epoch of Rest [a machine-readable transcription] 1890

  • Such a settling of legs and arms and packages there was; and in the middle of it "whew" went the whistle, and off they went away to the mountains.

    Milly and Olly Humphry Ward 1885

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