whale
1. whale \'hwa-(*)l, 'wa-(*)l\ n or whales; or whale [ME, fr. OE hwl;
akin to OHG hwal whale] pl often attrib pl 1: an aquatic mammal (order
Cetacea) that superficially resembles a large f ish and is valued
commercially for its oil, flesh, and sometimes whalebone; esp : one of the
larger members of this group 2: a person or thing impressive in size or
qualities {a ~ of a diff erence} {a ~ of a story}
2. whale vi : to engage in whale fishing
3. whale vt [origin unknown] 1: LASH, THRASH 2: to strike or hit
vigorously 3: to defeat soundly