Real Dictionary

whip
countable noun: A whip is a long thin piece of material such as leather or rope, fastened to a stiff handle. It is used for hitting people or animals.
verb: If someone whips a person or animal, they beat them or hit them with a whip or something like a whip.
verb: If something, for example the wind, whips something, it strikes it sharply.

whip in American English
to move, pull, jerk, snatch, throw, etc. suddenly
intransitive verb: to move or go quickly and suddenly; dart; whisk
transitive verb: to beat with a strap, lash, rod, or the like, esp. by way of punishment or chastisement; flog; thrash

whip in British English
noun: a device consisting of a lash or flexible rod attached at one end to a stiff handle and used for driving animals, inflicting corporal punishment, etc
verb: to strike (a person or thing) with several strokes of a strap, rod, etc