whisper
Forms
- Plural
- whispers
- present (v1)
- whisper
- past (v2)
- whispered
- past participle (v3)
- whispered
- present participle
- whispering
- 3rd person singular
- whispers
Definitions
1.The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords; the sound thus produced.
- "Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible.
- I spoke in a near whisper.
2.A rumor.
- There are whispers of rebellion all around.
3.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.
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.
2.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.
- 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.To make a low, sibilant sound.
4.To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.
- They might buzz and whisper it one to another.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2800
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Rare
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Etymology
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”).