Whisper
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɪspə(r)
Origin
From Old English hwisprian ("to whistle").
Noun
whisper
(plural whispers)- The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially, without vibration of the vocal cords.
- 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, :"Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible.
- (usually in plural) A rumor.There are whispers of rebellion all around.
- (figurative) A faint trace or hint (of something).The soup had just a whisper of basil.
- (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.
Derived terms
Full definition of whisper
Verb
- (intransitive) To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.
- (transitive) To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.
- BentleyThey might buzz and whisper it one to another.
- (intransitive) To make a low, sibilant sound.
- Thomsonthe hollow, whispering breeze
- (intransitive) To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.
- Bible, Psalms xli. 7All that hate me whisper together against me.
- (transitive, obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.
- Shakespeareand whisper one another in the ear
- Keblewhere gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed
- (transitive, obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.
- ShakespeareHe came to whisper Wolsey.