whim Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sudden desire
    caprice; impulse.
    • he bought it on an impulse
  2. noun an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
    whimsey; notion; whimsy.
    • the theatrical notion of disguise is associated with disaster in his stories
    • he had a whimsy about flying to the moon
    • whimsy can be humorous to someone with time to enjoy it

WordNet

Whim noun
Etymology
Cf. Whimbrel.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) The European widgeon. Prov. Eng.
Whim noun
Etymology
Cf. Icel. hwima to wander with the eyes, vim giddiness, Norw. kvima to whisk or flutter about, to trifle, Dan. vimse to skip, whisk, jump from one thing to another, dial. Sw. hvimsa to be unsteady, dizzy, W. chwimio to move briskly.
Definitions
  1. A sudden turn or start of the mind; a temporary eccentricity; a freak; a fancy; a capricious notion; a humor; a caprice.
    Let every man enjoy his whim. Churchill.
  2. (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; -- called also whim gin, and whimsey. Syn. -- Freak; caprice; whimsey; fancy. -- Whim, Freak, Caprice. Freak denotes an impulsive, inconsiderate change of mind, as by a child or a lunatic. Whim is a mental eccentricity due to peculiar processes or habits of thought. Caprice is closely allied in meaning to freak, but implies more definitely a quality of willfulness or wantonness.
Whim intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To be subject to, or indulge in, whims; to be whimsical, giddy, or freakish. R. Congreve.

Webster 1913