whip vs thrash about

whip is a noun but thrash about is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
whip	Yes	No	Yes	No
thrash about	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, thrash about is a hypernym of whip; that is, thrash about is a word with a broader meaning than whip:

Other hypernyms of whip include convulse, jactitate, slash, thrash, thresh, thresh about, toss.

whip (noun)	thrash about (noun)
a quick blow delivered with a whip or whiplike object
an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whipping
(golf) the flexibility of the shaft of a golf club
a dessert made of sugar and stiffly beaten egg whites or cream and usually flavored with fruit
a legislator appointed by the party to enforce discipline

whip (verb)	thrash about (verb)
subject to harsh criticism	move or stir about violently
defeat thoroughly
beat severely with a whip or rod
whip with or as if with a wire whisk
strike as if by whipping
thrash about flexibly in the manner of a whiplash