whale on

present singular third person whales on · participle present whaling on · participle past whaled on · past whaled on

1. slangTo strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.

   “Big sumbitch,” Don Dykes said. “Took a fuckin' ax handle to me. Just whaled on my fuckin' ass.”

   2014, Jack Hart, Skookum Summer: A Novel of the Pacific Northwest, page 278

   2 more examples

   If he had been able to break loose from his handlers and the referee, he would have jumped Paret to the floor and whaled on him there.

   1962, Norman Mailer, The Death of Benny Paret

   Philip was whaling on O, who was whaling on Slater, who was whaling on Genesius, who was whaling on Philip. Blood, spittle, and curses were flying.

   2000, Joseph Di Prisco, Confessions of Brother Eli, page 320

2. slangTo beat heavily on anything.

   The wrench wouldn’t budge, even though Tony was just whaling on it with a big old sledge hammer.

   3 more examples

   Standing at the front, wearing a guitar and whaling on it as she sang, was Sara Tidwell.

   1999, Stephen King, Bag of Bones

   Jaw tight, Ryder picked up his hammer, set a framing nail, and whaled on it.

   2012, Nora Roberts, The Last Boyfriend, page 71

   Now he couldn't get enough of playing his father's music on a CD and whaling on the drum set Jed had bought him at one of those warehouse club stores

   2014, Chris Fabry, The Song