\Whelp\, n. [AS. hwelp; akin to D. welp, G. & OHG. welf,
Icel. hvelpr, Dan. hvalp, Sw. valp.]
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.
2. A child; a youth; -- jocosely or in contempt.
         That awkward whelp with his money bags would have
         made his entrance.                    --Addison.
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.
4. One of the teeth of a sprocket wheel.

\Whelp\, 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.

\Whelp\, v. t.
To bring forth, as cubs or young; to give birth to.
      Unless she had whelped it herself, she could not have
      loved a thing better.                    --B. Jonson.
      Did thy foul fancy whelp so black a scheme? --Young.