whale on

Verb

whale on (third-person singular simple present whales on, present participle whaling on, simple past and past participle whaled on)

1. (slang) To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.
   • 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. (slang) To beat heavily on anything.
   • The wrench wouldn’t budge, even though Tony was just whaling on it with a big old sledge hammer.
   • Standing at the front, wearing a guitar and whaling on it as she sang, was Sara Tidwell.1999, Stephen King, Bag of Bones