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Whisper

//ˈ(h)wɪspə// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.

    "I spoke in a near whisper."

  2. 2
    speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords wordnet
  3. 3
    A rumor. plural-normally

    "There are whispers of rebellion all around."

  4. 4
    a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind wordnet
  5. 5
    A faint trace or hint (of something). figuratively

    "The soup had just a whisper of basil."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A low rustling sound, like that of the wind in leaves.
  2. 7
    A private message to an individual in a chat room. Internet

    "The invisibility of private interactions in the form of whispers resolved an ethical concern in the research but reduced our ability to gauge the volume of interaction […]"

Verb
  1. 1
    To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. intransitive

    "I can hear them whisper as we pass by It's a bad sign, bad sign"

  2. 2
    speak softly; in a low voice wordnet
  3. 3
    To say (something) softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter (something) without sonant breath, without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. transitive

    "Whether he whispered sweet nothings to her in Stengelese is not known, but he did call her "the best catch I ever made in my career.""

  4. 4
    To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper. transitive

    "They might buzz and whisper it one to another."

  5. 5
    To make a low, sibilant sound. intransitive

    "the hollow, whispering breeze"

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting. intransitive

    "All that hate me whisper together against me."

  2. 7
    To address in a whisper, or low voice. obsolete, transitive

    "and whisper one another in the ear"

  3. 8
    To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately. obsolete, transitive

    "He came to whisper Wolsey."

  4. 9
    To send a private message to an individual in a chat room. Internet
  5. 10
    To exercise skill in taming or training a creature.
  6. 11
    To project using telepathy.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian (“to mutter, murmur, whisper”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwisprōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwisprōną (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweys-, *ḱwey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Dutch wisperen (“to whisper”), German wispern (“to mumble, whisper”). Related also to Danish hviske (“to whisper”), Icelandic hvískra (“to whisper”), Norwegian Bokmål hviske, kviskre (“to whisper”), Norwegian Nynorsk kviskre, kviskra (“to whisper”), Swedish viska (“to whisper”). More at English whistle.

Etymology 2

From Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian (“to mutter, murmur, whisper”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwisprōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwisprōną (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweys-, *ḱwey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Dutch wisperen (“to whisper”), German wispern (“to mumble, whisper”). Related also to Danish hviske (“to whisper”), Icelandic hvískra (“to whisper”), Norwegian Bokmål hviske, kviskre (“to whisper”), Norwegian Nynorsk kviskre, kviskra (“to whisper”), Swedish viska (“to whisper”). More at English whistle.

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