I Spy Something Beginning With WH Quiz

Answer: Whale

WH + ale = Whale. Ale is made from malt, hops and water, with yeast added to ferment the mixture. The blue whale is the largest mammal known to have lived and belongs to the order Cetacea, which also includes the sperm whale and killer whale. Whale can also be used to describe anything large or even informally to describe having enjoyed oneself a great deal as in 'I had a whale of a time'. Probably the best known whale is 'Moby Dick' from Herman Melville's novel of the same name.

Answer: Whisper

WH + is + per = Whisper. The word 'is' is the third form of the present tense of 'to be' in English. Per is used in the sense of 'for each' to denote the cost of a unit, as in the price per gallon. To whisper is to speak using one's breath rather than the vocal chords to reduce the chance of being overheard. To quote The Beatles: 'Listen, do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Closer, let me whisper in your ear'.

Answer: Whelk

WH + elk = Whelk. The animal known as an elk in Europe is called a moose in North America, and is the largest member of the deer family. The whelk is a sea snail, many of which are edible and are used as food in many countries. There is actually a song called 'Eight Foot Whelk' by Al Jones, but I suspect, like all fishermen, he was exaggerating.

Answer: Wherefore

WH + ere + fore = Wherefore. Ere means at an earlier time, and is normally only used in poetry. An example can also be found in the palindrome 'able was I ere I saw Elba'. Fore is shouted by golfers to warn other players or bystanders of an errant shot. Wherefore can mean 'as a result of which' or 'why'. Juliet's cry of 'Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?' is used in the latter sense, when she realises who he is and that his family and hers are feuding.

Answer: Wheat

WH + eat = Wheat. Eating is defined as 'the ingestion of food for nutrition'. Wheat is a staple grain used for many types of food, including bread, cakes, breakfast cereals and beer. There are several references to wheat in the Bible, confirming that it has been known as a food source for centuries. One example can be found in Psalm 147, verse 14: 'He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat' (New International Version).

Answer: Wheel

WH + eel = Wheel. Eels can be found in both fresh and salt water and both types are suitable for human consumption. The young are called elvers, and are also edible. The wheel was one of the earliest mechanical devices to be invented by man, and dates back to the fourth millennium BC.

It often features in cartoons with cavemen chipping away at stone to form the wheel. Since it is the basis for so much technology it has given rise to the expression 'reinventing the wheel' to describe any attempt to duplicate something that already works.

Answer: Whinchat

WH + in + chat = Whinchat. Chat refers to light and casual conversation, and has been extended to the internet where 'chat rooms' refer to exchanges of views with other people logged in to a particular site. The whinchat has the scientific name of Saxicola rubetra, which means small rock dweller.

Answer: Whole

WH + ole = Whole. The cry of 'olé' is usually translated as 'bravo' or 'hooray'. It is often heard at sporting events as a shout of encouragement. For example, it has been adopted by the European team in the Ryder Cup in honour of the Spanish players who have contributed, with Seve Ballesteros being one of the best known. Whole means something which is complete and undamaged.

It can be combined with other words, as in the expression 'whole-hearted' referring to unconditional support. It also appears in song titles including 'Whole Lotta Love' by Led Zeppelin and 'A Whole New World' from the film 'Aladdin' (1992).

Answer: Whacking

WH + ac + king = Whacking. AC stands for alternating current and a male monarch is a king. Probably the most famous king is Henry VIII of England, with his six wives. Whacking can be used to describe a very big example of its king, but is also used in the sense of a sharp, heaving blow as in 'to whack someone across the face'. An episode of 'The Simpsons' in 1993 was named 'Whacking Day' and used the expression in the latter sense in describing a fictional holiday devoted to the clubbing of snakes.

Answer: Whether

WH + ether = Whether. The use of ether as an anaesthetic was developed in the 1840s, although the side affects can include excessive vomiting and it is also highly flammable. Whether is used to offer a choice between alternatives, either explicit or implied.

For example, 'I am not sure whether we should go' could be rewritten as 'I am not sure whether we should go or not go' with the 'or not go' being implied in the first version. Shakespeare can always be relied on to come up with an example of a word in use, and 'whether' is no exception. Hamlet's famous soliloquy, which starts with 'To be, or not to be' goes on with 'that is the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'.