Definition

1. Noun:

   • A large marine mammal: A whale is any of the very large aquatic mammals that are cetaceans, have a streamlined body, breathe air through a blowhole, and are not fish.
   • An exceptionally large or impressive person or thing: Used informally to describe a person who is very large in size or something that is impressive in scale or qualities.

2. Verb:

   • To hunt for whales: The act of pursuing and catching whales, typically for their oil, meat, or other products.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Marine Mammal):
  • The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth.
  • We saw a pod of whales migrating off the coast.
• Noun (Large Person/Thing):
  • He's a whale of a man, towering over everyone else.
  • The new skyscraper is a real whale of a building.
• Verb:
  • In the 19th century, many ships would whale in the Arctic Ocean.
  • International agreements now restrict the right to whale.

Advanced Usage

• "a whale of a...": An informal idiom used to emphasize that something is very large, great, or impressive.

  • She told a whale of a story that had us all captivated.
  • We had a whale of a time at the party last night. (Meaning: We had an excellent, very enjoyable time.)

• "a whale on/at/for something": An informal expression for someone who is very skilled at or very fond of something.

  • He's a real whale at chess; he beats everyone.
  • She's a whale for classical music and attends every concert.

Variants and Related Words

• Whaling (noun): The industry or practice of hunting whales.
  • The history of whaling is controversial due to its impact on whale populations.
• Whaler (noun): A person or ship involved in hunting whales.
  • The old whaler sailed into the harbor.

Synonyms

• Noun (Mammal): Cetacean, leviathan (poetic/literary).
• Noun (Large thing): Giant, behemoth, colossus, titan.
• Verb: Hunt whales, go whaling.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Whale" as a verb in this hunting sense does not commonly form phrasal verbs. The following is an informal, separate usage.) - Whale on (informal, different meaning): To hit or strike repeatedly and forcefully. - The boxer began to whale on his opponent in the final round. (This is a distinct, informal verb meaning not directly related to the marine mammal.)

Related Idioms

• "Very like a whale": A phrase from Shakespeare's , sometimes used to mean an absurd or nonsensical description.
• "To have a whale of a time": As shown in Advanced Usage, this is the most common idiom, meaning to enjoy oneself immensely.

Noun

1. any of the larger cetacean mammals having a streamlined body and breathing through a blowhole on the head
2. a very large person; impressive in size or qualities

Verb

1. hunt for whales