ESEN
Which one to use?Beginnerverb / nounnoun / verb
WhinevsWine
'Whine' means to complain in a high-pitched voice, or is a high-pitched sound; 'wine' is the fermented grape drink.
Side-by-side comparison
Whine
verb / noun"Whine" is to complain in an irritating, high-pitched way, or to make a sustained high-pitched sound. "Stop whining!" = stop complaining. An engine that whines produces a high-pitched persistent hum.
Stop whining and find a solution, complaining won't help.
The engine whined at high RPM, signalling a possible mechanical problem.
The dog whined at the door until someone let it outside.
Wine
noun / verb"Wine" is an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes. "Red wine" = a dark wine from red grapes. "Wine and dine" = to entertain someone lavishly with food and drink.
She ordered a glass of red wine to go with the steak.
The company wines and dines potential clients at the most exclusive restaurants.
The region is famous for producing some of the finest white wines in the world.
Common mistake
- •"She wined about every little problem" when meaning complained is wrong (correct: whined).
- •And "The motor made a wine sound" when meaning the high-pitched noise is wrong (correct: whine).
Trick to remember it
- •"Whine" has WH like "whisper," "wheeze," "whistle", sounds made with breath.
- •"Wine" has no WH, clean and simple like the drink itself.
Quick rule
Is it the complaining sound or high-pitched noise? "Whine." Is it the fermented grape drink? "Wine."
Did you know?
WINE comes from Latin "vinum," which is also the origin of Spanish "vino," French "vin," German "Wein," and Italian "vino", all from the same Latin root. From "vinum" also come: "vine" (the plant), "vineyard," "vintage" (harvest/year of production), and "vinegar" (literally "sour wine"). WHINE comes from Old English "hwinan," which originally described the sound of arrows cutting through air, then shifted to describe the yelping of dogs, and finally reached the modern sense of complaining in a persistent, high-pitched way. The oldest documented winemaking is about 8,000 years old and was found in Georgia (the Caucasus country).
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The dog started to _____ by the door. He needed to go out.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He brought a bottle of red _____ to the dinner party as a gift.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy