Whoop it up
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Celebrate or enjoy oneself loudly and energetically, or stir up noisy enthusiasm for a person, event, or cause. Informal. The phrase can describe genuine celebration or manufactured publicity, so context determines whether it sounds approving. Regional use: American English, now understood in general English.
Origin
The verb 'whoop' imitates or describes a loud cry and has long been associated with shouting in excitement. 'Whoop it up' is recorded in American English from 1881 for making a disturbance and later covered both riotous celebration and the deliberate arousing of enthusiasm, including political promotion. The phrase grew from the sound and action of whooping rather than from one named party or campaign. Its two modern senses, revelry and noisy advocacy, preserve that shared core.
Research Sources
Variants
- Whoop things up
- Whooping it up
Usage Examples
- Supporters whooped it up in the square after the final whistle.
- The brass band was hired to whoop things up before the candidate arrived.
- They spent Saturday night whooping it up at the reunion dance.