Definition/Meaning of whoa

• English - Interjection: whoa Stop ( especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof ); calm down; slow down . Whoa , Nelly! An expression of surprise . Whoa , are you serious? Usage notes Another alternate spelling from woa, woah (c. 1856), is common . Antonyms ( stop , said to a horse ) : giddyup , giddy-up, giddap Translations
• English - Alternative forms: woah whoah
• English - Pronunciation: ( UK ) IPA (key) : /wəʊ/ or IPA (key) : /ʍəʊ/ ( US ) enPR: wō , IPA (key) : /woʊ/ or enPR: hwō , IPA (key) : /ʍoʊ/ Rhymes: -əʊ Homophone: woe ( in accents with the wine-whine merger )
• English - Etymology: 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 (interjection), probably from Old Norse hó! (interjection, also , a shepherd's call). Compare German ho , Old French ho ! ( “ hold!, halt! ” ).
• English - References: Whoa! Woah?! Whoah . How an old exclamation became the Internet’s most variously spelled word ., Matthew J . X . Malady , Slate