The story
Blend of whimper + imperative. Coined by Jerrold Sadock in a 1970 essay.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Today it means: An order or imperative phrased obliquely as a question, such as "would you mind closing the window?" Full definition →
Blend of whimper + imperative. Coined by Jerrold Sadock in a 1970 essay.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.