n. [ AS. hwelp; akin to D. welp, G. & OHG. welf, Icel. hvelpr, Dan. hvalp, Sw. valp. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. One of the young of a dog or a beast of prey; a puppy; a cub; as, a lion's whelps. “A bear robbed of her whelps.” 2 Sam. xvii. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A child; a youth; -- jocosely or in contempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

That awkward whelp with his money bags would have made his entrance. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) One of the longitudinal ribs or ridges on the barrel of a capstan or a windless; -- usually in the plural; as, the whelps of a windlass. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One of the teeth of a sprocket wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Whelped p. pr. & vb. n. Whelping. ] To bring forth young; -- said of the female of the dog and some beasts of prey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To bring forth, as cubs or young; to give birth to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unless she had whelped it herself, she could not have loved a thing better. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Did thy foul fancy whelp so black a scheme? Young. [ 1913 Webster ]