whisper

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.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈ(h)wɪspə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/

• Audio (GA)

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• Rhymes: -ɪspə(ɹ)

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

   • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London, Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

     "Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible.

   • 2005 December 2, “Amarantine”, in Roma Ryan (lyrics), Enya (music), Amarantine, performed by Enya:

     You know love is everything you say / A whisper, a word / Promises you give

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.

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

1. (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.
2. (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.

3. (intransitive) To make a low, sibilant sound.
   • 1728, James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC:

     the hollow, whispering breeze

   • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XXXVII, page 57:

     […] hear thy laurel whisper sweet
     About the ledges of the hill.

4. (intransitive) To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 41:7:

     All that hate me whisper together against me.

5. (transitive, obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.
   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     and whisper one another in the ear

   • 1827, [John Keble], The Christian Year: Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holydays throughout the Year, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [B]y W. Baxter, for J. Parker; and C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC:

     where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed

6. (transitive, obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.
   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     He came to whisper Wolsey.

   • 1816, [Walter Scott], chapter XIII, in The Antiquary. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 289:

     [A] simple youth whispered me that he was an Illuminé, and carried on an intercourse with the invisible world.

• whisper down the lane
• whisperer