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to whale

to whale

3 7.7
Hunt large sea animals to get their oil and meat
  • verb
  • /weɪl/
translation icon : cazar ballenas
  • Since then, a small number of countries have continued to whale under scientific permits.

It's to figure out the meaning of the universe through going whaling and having a confrontation with his tormentor, this whale, Moby Dick.

Examples

  • However, if we take whales out of the equation, much as centuries of commercial whaling did, this natural system starts to break down.

  • The previous section outlines a very large number of changes affecting the Inupiat Eskimos as they whale, hunt game, fish, and gather greens and berries.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Commercial factory whaling has never been their culture.

  • OK, we jump on a Japanese whaling ship and listen to the sound of slaughtering whales.

  • Some communities still whale despite international bans on the practice.

  • The crew prepared their equipment to whale during the next fishing expedition.

  • The decision to whale was controversial among environmental groups.

Synonyms

to butcher
vsto whale
22 1.8

To kill animals for meat

is focused on hunting one marine species specifically for oil and other products
to harpoon
vsto whale
4 6.6

To strike, wound, or kill an animal with a long barbed spear

is the broader act of hunting a particular marine species for its products

Antonyms

496 3.4

To keep people and things safe from harm or change

63 3.4

Protect something from harm or waste by using it carefully

Idioms

1 6.1

A time when you have a lot of fun

like a whale
  • Informal
1 9.6

In a clumsy way, especially when moving or singing

whale of a show
  • Informal
1 6.4

A very good performance or event that impresses many people

9.3

To try to reach a very difficult or impossible goal for a long time

6.1

A very exciting and special experience with surprises

Compounds

211 1.4

A very large whale that is bluish grey and the largest animal ever

20 3.2

A large black and white whale with teeth that hunts other sea animals

A large whale with long flippers that arches its back when diving

6 3.5

A very large fish with white spots that moves slowly and eats tiny sea animals and plants

4 3.7

A very large whale with a huge head and big teeth that lives in deep oceans

4 7.9

A very large whale with baleen that lives in cold coastal waters and is endangered

3 5.5

A small dark sea animal that lives in groups led by the largest male

3 4.0

A large whale with a flat head, long body and small back fin found in the Atlantic and Pacific

3 3.5

A medium-sized whale with grey skin that lives in the northern Pacific Ocean

whale oil
  • Archaic
2 7.8

A pale yellow to brown oil from whale fat that people use to light lamps

beached whale
  • Informal
1 8.5

A very tired person who lies down and feels awkward or helpless

minke whale
  • Specialized
1 6.2

A small whale with a dark, smooth body and a small fin on its back

A whale that has teeth and eats fish or squid, like dolphins and porpoises

beaked whale
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A medium-sized whale with a long narrow snout that dives deep in oceans

blue whale
  • Offensive
1 8.1

A dangerous online challenge that encouraged people to do harmful tasks, sometimes leading to self-harm

1 7.2

A large whale with a rounded forehead and a long beak

bowhead whale
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A very large whale that lives in Arctic waters with a curved mouth and big body

baleen whale
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A large whale with plates in its mouth that filter tiny sea animals

sei whale
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A large ocean whale that eats small animals by filtering water

1 6.5

A small whale like the beluga that is white as an adult and lives in very cold northern waters

7.4

A small dark whale near the US Atlantic coast whose largest male leads the group

A very large whale like the sperm whale that has oil and ambergris in its head

A whale with a rounded forehead that lives in the North Atlantic

dwarf sperm whale
  • Specialized
7.7

A very small sperm whale that lives in warm and cool seas and grows to about 8 feet long

A large whale with baleen plates, a flat head, and throat ridges that lives in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

A very large sea animal with a big rounded head that lives in Arctic waters

A small sperm whale that lives in warm ocean waters

piked whale
  • Archaic
7.9

A small whale that lives near coasts, like the minke whale

whale louse
  • Specialized
9.9

A small sea animal like a tiny crab that lives on the skin of whales

whale of a car
  • Informal
7.9

A very large impressive car that looks expensive

A large fish that clings to whales or dolphins using a suction disk on its head

whalebone whale
  • Archaic
7.7

A large whale that uses thin, brush-like plates in its mouth to filter tiny sea animals from water

Surface Forms

whale infinitive
whaled past
whaled past participle
whaling present participle
whales third person singular

Etymology

The verb whale meaning 'to hunt whales' comes from the name of the animal whale, and it refers to catching these animals for their oil, meat, or other products.