whoa

Meanings

Interjection

• Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down.
• An expression of surprise.

Verb

• To attempt to slow (an animal) by crying "whoa".

Related

Opposite words

• giddyup, giddap

Origin

• Whoa (c. 1843) is a variant of woa (c. 1840), itself a variant of wo (c. 1787), from who (c. 1450), ultimately from Middle English ho, hoo, probably from Old Norse hó!. Compare German ho, Old French ho ! ("hold!, halt!").