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whisper

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

whisper (plural whispers)

  1. The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.
    I spoke in a near whisper.
  2. (usually in the plural) A rumor.
    There are whispers of rebellion all around.
  3. (figurative) A faint trace or hint (of something).
    The soup had just a whisper of basil.
  4. A low rustling sound, like that of the wind in leaves.
  5. (Internet) A private message to an individual in a chat room.
    • 2002, Ralph Schroeder, The Social Life of Avatars, page 218:
      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 […]
    • 2004, Caroline A. Haythornthwaite, Michelle M. Kazmer, Learning, Culture and Community in Online Education, page 179:
      Anyone logged in to the chat room can click on an individual name, highlighting it, and send a message — a whisper — that will be seen only by the selected person.
  6. (occult) A projection of intention and influence caused by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means.
    • 1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 66:
      "Witches feel that anyone who is against them has to be destroyed. The method is to give the victim what we call a whispering. It is similar to the aborigine ceremony in Australia of singing someone to death. The witches gather in a circle and focus their hate on the persons they have in mind. These vibrations from their minds and voices carry whispers to the one who they are working against."

Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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whisper (third-person singular simple present whispers, present participle whispering, simple past and past participle whispered)

  1. (intransitive) 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.
    Synonym: breathe
  2. (transitive) 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.
    Synonym: breathe
    • 1981 April 15, Ira Berkow, “DRAMA IN 'STENGELESE: YOU CAN LOOK IT UP”, in The New York Times‎[2]:
      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."
  3. (transitive) To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.
    • 1692, Richard Bentley, [A Confutation of Atheism] (please specify the sermon), London: [Thomas Parkhurst; Henry Mortlock], published 1692–1693:
      They might buzz and whisper it one to another.
  4. (intransitive) To make a low, sibilant sound.
  5. (intransitive) To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.
  6. (transitive, obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.
  7. (transitive, obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.
  8. (Internet) To send a private message to an individual in a chat room.
  9. To exercise skill in taming or training a creature.
  10. (occult) To project intention and influence events by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means; to subject someone or something to this influence.
    • 1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 66:
      "Witches feel that anyone who is against them has to be destroyed. The method is to give the victim what we call a whispering. [...] The most frightening this is to be whispered when you're driving a car - it's nerve-racking."

Derived terms

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Translations

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