Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See whimsy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A whim; a freak; a capricious notion, a fanciful or odd conceit.
  • noun (Mining) A whim.
  • transitive verb rare To fill with whimseys, or whims; to make fantastic; to craze.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Alternative spelling of whimsy.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the trait of acting unpredictably and more from whim or caprice than from reason or judgment
  • noun an odd or fanciful or capricious idea

Etymologies

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Examples

  • As I looked, I saw the singular apparition of a moving "whimsey" at the top of Brierley Hill, dark and black against the shining surface.

    Personal Recollections of Birmingham and Birmingham Men Eliezer Edwards 1853

  • While Morgan says Joules is more "whimsey" than practical transportation, he does hope it sparks the kind of hands-on experimentation he says is increasingly lacking in young people's lives.

    All Today's News - Sightline Daily 2010

  • Nonsensical garbage to confuse kids under the guise of "whimsey" and "delightful logic puzzles."

    Original Signal - Transmitting Buzz 2010

  • Changing the target in response to a global economic crisis the likes of which has not been seen since the Great Depression is not whimsey.

    Matthew Yglesias » Bernanke on Japan 2010

  • Once more the smile on her lips announced a whimsey.

    CHAPTER XXXI 2010

  • When Cocky, balanced on one leg, the other leg in the air as the foot of it held the scruff of Michael's neck, leaned to Michael's ear and wheedled, Michael could only lay down silkily the bristly hair-waves of his neck, and with silly half-idiotic eyes of bliss agree to whatever was Cocky's will or whimsey so delivered.

    CHAPTER XI 2010

  • I would have doubted that there is, except for a very interesting bit of cobblestones-and-barricades talk masquerading as dark whimsey from our good friend and bon vivant Mark Morford in the San Francisco Chronicle also this grim Wednesday morning with the message "Eat the Rich", a title he swiped from Aerosmith (their song linked in his essay is worth listening to if you were born after 1935).

    The Hundred Year Storm 2009

  • If garish colours had been in my mindset, then it has my kind of whimsey.

    MX42 / Illustration Friday: Frozen 2009

  • John and Ken used to do the A&G whimsey, but have gone to all outrage all the time, which gets better ratings.

    Unmade noises. Ann Althouse 2009

  • This whimsey, folksey, eyewinking burst of banter; a bold fresh piece of Republican talking points tagger.

    Early Snap Polls: Biden Won Handily 2009

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