whisper

▪ I. whisper, n.
    (ˈhwɪspə(r))
    [f. whisper v.]
    1. a. An act, or the action, of whispering, or speaking ‘under one's breath’; the low non-resonant quality of voice which characterizes this (esp. in phr. in a whisper).
    In Phonetics (equivalently), Speech or vocal sound without the musical or resonant tone produced by vibration of the vocal cords; a ‘breath’ sound, as distinguished from ‘voice’ (see breath 10, voice n. 1 g); in strict use implying also contraction of the glottis: see also 4.

1608 Shakes. Per. iii. i. 9 The sea-mans Whistle Is as a whisper in the eares of death, Vnheard. 1626 Bacon Sylva §174 The Inward Voice or Whisper can neuer giue a Tone. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 10 ¶9 Secrets which he always communicates in a whisper. 1778 F. Burney Evelina (1791) I. xxiii. 124, I heard him say..in an audible whisper,—which is a mode of speech very distressing and disagreeable to by-standers [etc.]. 1836 Dickens Sk. Boz, Crim. Crts., Conversing in low whispers. 1837 ― Pickw. xlv, Mr. Weller delivered this..with great vehemence of whisper. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. ii. iv. §35 (1864) 319 In a whisper there is no musical sound. 1877 Sweet Handbk. Phonetics 5 Whisper in popular language simply means speech without voice. Phonetically whisper implies not merely absence of voice, but a definite contraction of the glottis. 1882 Besant All Sorts xxii, ‘Mind, it's a secret.’ He lowered his voice to a whisper.

    b. A whispered word, phrase, remark, or speech.

1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iv. Chor. 7 From Camp to Camp,..The Humme of eyther Army stilly sounds; That the fixt Centinels almost receiue The secret Whispers of each others Watch. 1624 Massinger Parl. Love v. i, She has put The judges to their whisper. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 203 Full well the busy whisper, circling round, Convey'd the dismal tidings when he frown'd. 1821 Byron Sardan. iii. i. 424 What, at whispers With my stern brother? 1829 Scott Anne of G. xi, The sage Persian comforted him by a long whisper, of which the last part only was heard. 1833 H. Martineau Demerara xi, Some relaxation of discipline allowed them to exchange a whisper from time to time.

    c. pig's whisper: see pig n.¹ 14 c. stage whisper: see stage n. 14.
    2. A secret or slight utterance, mention, or report; a suggestion, insinuation, hint, light rumour (communicated in a whispering voice, or fig. by a soft rustling sound (cf. 3) or mentally); with negative, the slightest mention, the ‘least word’.

1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 178 Not a word, nor quhisper in thair contrare. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. i. 80 At least the whisper goes so. Ibid. iv. v. 82 The people..vnwholsome in their thoughts, and whispers For good Polonius death. 1664 in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends Ser. ii. (1911) 191 Some whispers that the Judges would not proceede against any of the Quakers. 1677 W. Hubbard Pres. St. New Eng. 43 The bullet passing through his own hair, by that whisper telling him that death was very near. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 64 ¶1 He [sc. a Courtier] deals much in Whispers, and you may see he dresses according to the best Intelligence. 1780 Bentham Introd. Mor. & Legisl. xvii. §11 (1789) 313 If the thunders of the law prove impotent, the whispers of simple morality can have but little influence. 1823 Scott Quentin D. vi, A whisper from those recesses of the heart in which lies much that the owner does not know of. 1827 J. W. Croker in C. Papers 17 Apr. (1884) I. 374 No one raises even a whisper of reproach against Peel. 1846 A. Marsh Fr. Darcy xxviii, He rejected the pleadings of pity—the whispers of conscience. 1873 Burton Hist. Scot. VI. lxxii. 292 There were whispers that he was to be put to death without trial.

    3. fig. A soft rustling sound resembling or suggesting that of a whispering voice.

1637 Milton Lycidas 136 The milde whispers..Of shades and wanton winds, and gushing brooks. 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. iii. xiii, With far-heard whisper, o'er the sea, Off shot the spectre-bark. 1842 Tennyson Gardener's Dau. 248 Whispers, like the whispers of the leaves That tremble round a nightingale. 1898 ‘H. S. Merriman’ Roden's Corner v, A silence, broken only by the whisper of the wind through the rigging.

    4. attrib. Uttered in a whisper; in Phonetics, uttered without the vocal murmur, ‘breath’ (see breath 10); whisper-like, whisper-proof adjs.; whisper-shot nonce-wd. [after ear-shot], the distance within which a whisper can be heard.

1626 Breton Fantasticks Wks. (Grosart) II. 6/2 The leaues of the trees are in whisper talkes. 1838 E. Guest Engl. Rhythms I. 9 It is..doubtful if there ever was a language which had its whisper letters perfect. Ibid. 10 The whisper sounds of the two liquids l, r, constitute two distinct letters in Welsh. 1846 Proc. Philol. Soc. III. 4 The sound of th, whether whisper or vocal. 1876 Lanier in Atlantic Monthly (1899) LXXXIII. 799/1 I..inserted a whisper chorus..to prepare by its straining pianissimo for the outburst of jubilation. 1876 Gentl. Mag. Sept. 339 To ascertain whether..our boasted right of asylum was really whisper-proof. 1890 W. S. Gilbert Foggerty's Fairy etc. 152 Informing everybody within whisper-shot..that this was my first brief. 1904 W. H. Hudson Green Mansions iii. 45 The mysterious melody began... It was uttered by the same being heard on former occasions..that low, whisper-like talking. 1936 N. Streatfeild Ballet Shoes xviii. 278 Petrova looked round to see that Posy was out of whisper-shot. 1964 J. C. Catford in D. Abercrombie et al. Daniel Jones 37 What feels like breath..begins to sound more whisper⁓like at rates of flow above about 300 cl/sec.

    Hence ˈwhisperhood nonce-wd., the condition of being a whisper (in sense 2); ˈwhisperless a., not uttering a whisper, or in which no whisper is heard; absolutely silent; ˈwhisperous (whence ˈwhisperously adv.), ˈwhispery adjs., full of or characterized by whispers; resembling a whisper.

1710 Swift Examiner No. 15 ¶5, I know a Lie that now disturbs half the Kingdom with its Noise, which..I can remember in its *Whisper-hood.

1863 P. S. Worsley Poems & Transl. 19 Crouching *whisperless. 1911 R. Brooke Coll. Poems (1918) 74 The secret deeps are whisperless.

1884 Ld. Lytton in 19th Cent. Dec. 898 The *whisperous, awe-struck tone of the voice. 1892 ― King Poppy viii. 8 Waves that, hid in whisperous shadows, heaved.

1858 Lytton What will he do? v. viii, The Duchess..sinks her voice, and gabbles on—*whisperously.

1834 Mrs. Hemans Zegri Maid ii. Wks. 1843 VII. 25 In the *whispery olive shade. 1844 Lowell Columbus 5 The reeling sea..falling Crumbled to whispery foam. 1861 L. L. Noble Icebergs 254 The whispery, hissing sound of smoothly sliding waters.

▪ II. ˈwhisper, v.
    Forms: 1 hwisprian, 5 qu-, qwysper, 5–6 whysper, 6 Sc. quhisper, 7 wisper, 6– whisper.
    [OE. hwisprian (only Northumb.) = Early Flem. wisperen (Kilian), G. wispern; cf. MLG., MDu. wispelen, OHG. (h)wispalôn (MHG. wispeln). ON. has hviskra, Da. hviske, Sw. viska to whisper.]
    1. a. intr. To speak softly ‘under one's breath’, i.e. without the resonant tone produced by vibration of the vocal cords; to talk or converse in this way, esp. in the ear of another, for the sake of secrecy. (See also 4 a.)

c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John p. 4 Murmurantes, hwisprendo. c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Luke xix. 7 And miððy ᵹeseᵹon alle hwispredon [Vulg. murmurabant]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 421/1 Quysperon.., mussito. Ibid. 525/1 Whysperyn. c 1530 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture 373 in Babees-bk. 81 Whysper not thou with thy fellowes oft. 1601 Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 329 Ile whisper with the Generall, and knowe his pleasure. 1610 ― Temp. iv. i. 125 Iuno and Ceres whisper seriously. 1676 Hatton Corr. (Camden) I. 136 L{supd} Wharton, and L{supd} Mohun sat..wispring together. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 38 ¶8 He immediately runs into Secrets, and falls a whispering. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xlviii, Many ladies round about whispered and talked, and many gentlemen nodded and whispered.

    b. trans. with adv. To bring by whispering.

1692 Dryden Eleonora 318 Her Soul was whisper'd out, with God's still Voice. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxiv, Cary..returned, and whispered Amyas away.

    2. a. trans. To say, tell, communicate, utter, or express by whispering. (With simple obj. or obj. clause; often with the actual words uttered as obj.) See also 4 b.

1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 436 What did you whisper in your Ladies eare? 1601 ― Jul. C. ii. ii. 100 If Cæsar hide himselfe, shall they not whisper Loe Cæsar is affraid? a 1678 Marvell Last Instr. Painter 937 His Fathers Ghost too whisper'd him one Note, That who does cut his Purse will cut his Throat. 1697 Dryden æneis xii. 324 Rising Fears are whisper'd thro' the Crowd. 1712 S. Centlivre Perplex'd Lovers i. i, She..whispers out her words, least I shou'd hear her. 1827 Lytton Pelham viii, I took the opportunity..to approach Lady Roseville and whisper my adieus. 1836 E. B. Browning Poet's Vow v, in New Monthly Mag. XLVIII. 217 They whispered oft, ‘she sleepeth soft’. 1891 ‘J. S. Winter’ Lumley iii, ‘What is it?’ he asked, in a loud whisper. ‘Gooseberry’, she whispered back—‘come and sit here by me.’

    b. intr. for pass. rare.

1850 Tennyson In Mem. iii, O Sorrow,..What whispers from thy lying lip?

    3. With the person, etc. as obj.: To address in a whisper; (with following clause or inf.) to tell, inform, bid, or ask in a whisper.

1540 Palsgr. Acolastus i. i. D iij b, He hath whyspered the in the eare, or taught the thy lesson in a corner. a 1591 H. Smith Serm., Satan's Compass. (1592) 988 He will whisper the poore howe they shall come by riches. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado iii. i. 4 Whisper her eare, and tell her I and Vrsula, Walke in the Orchard. 1611 ― Wint. T. iv. iv. 827 Ile..whisper him in your behalfes. 1626 Bacon Sylva §946 He did first whisper the Man in the Eare, that such a Man should thinke such a Card. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 117 ¶5 He whispered me in the Ear to take notice of a Tabby Cat. 1758 Goldsm. Mem. Protestant (1895) I. 34, I whispered my Companion softly, that as the Night was very dark, we might give him the Slip. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scandal iv. iii, Re-enter Servant and whispers Joseph Surface. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. II. 35 By whispering the rein-deer in the ear, they know the place of their destination. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop viii, Miss Jane..whispered her sister to observe how jealous Mr. Cheggs was. 1898 Besant Orange Girl ii. xxi, The Lord Mayor whispered the Judge again.

    4. With special connotations. a. intr. To speak or converse quietly or secretly about something (usually implying hostility, malice, conspiracy, etc.); also (with negative) to speak ever so slightly, to say ‘the least thing’ about something.

1515 Barclay Egloges ii. (1570) B iv/1 That when other talke and speake what they will, Thou dare not whisper. 1539 Bible (Great) Ps. xli. 7 All myne enemyes whisper together agaynst me. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 108 His companyons whyspered and muttered ageynste hym. 1667 Pepys Diary 28 June, And ne'er a prince in France dare whisper against it. 1824 B. Hofland Patience vii. 111 Mrs. Masterman..whispers every where about your wife's covetousness.

    b. trans. To say, report, communicate, or utter quietly, secretly, or confidentially; also (with negative) to utter ever so slightly, to say the least word of. (With simple obj. or obj. clause; often in passive.)

1562 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 209 It is quhisperit and murmurrit that sum suld forgett thair devoyr. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. iv. 11 Leane-look'd Prophets whisper fearefull change. 1628 in Foster Engl. Factories India (1909) III. 202 This newes was first wispered here the 19{supt}{suph} November. a 1708 T. Ward Eng. Ref. ii. (1710) 38 This Matter whisper'd up and down, Was quickly spread thro' all the Town. 1815 Scott Guy M. lii, It is whispered about..that there is such a plan. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop lii, Some vague rumour..which had been whispered abroad. 1845 Disraeli Sybil iv. xii, Whisper nothings that sound like something. 1887 R. H. Roberts In the Shires xiv. 246 It was whispered that a man answering to his description was keeping a very lucrative gambling-house in San Francisco.

    c. trans. with adv. or advb. phr. To bring into or out of something, or to take away, by secret (esp. malicious or slanderous) speech.

1631 Star Chamber Cases (Camden) 24 He is to be admonished..not to whisper away the fame and credit of Deputies and governors. 1783 Burke Sp. Fox's East India Bill 99 They cannot be whispered out of their duty,..their public conduct cannot be censured without a public discussion. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop lviii, Are characters to be whispered away like this? 1872 Bushnell Serm. Living Subj. xiii. 257 The great majority..are led, drawn, beckoned, whispered into their calling.

    5. intr. (fig. from 1.) To make a soft rustling sound resembling or suggesting a whisper.

1653 Walton Angler ix. 185 There will the River wispering run. 1697 Dryden æneis iv. 759 The Winds no longer whisper through the Woods. 1766 Gray Kingsgate 10 No tree is heard to whisper, bird to sing. 1846 A. Marsh Fr. Darcy xxxiv, The autumn wind whispered low among the branches.

    6. a. trans. (fig. from 2.) To suggest secretly to the mind; also, to express or communicate by a soft rustling sound (cf. 5).

1640 S. Harding Sicily & Naples iii. i. 33 This day (There's something whispers to me) will prove fatall. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 158 Gentle gales..dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmie spoiles. 1751 Gray Spring 8 Whisp'ring pleasure as they fly, Cool zephyrs..Their gather'd fragrance fling. 1823 Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Old Margate hoy, The waves to him whispered more pleasant stories. 1837 Disraeli Venetia ii. i, A strange sympathy which whispers convictions that no evidence can authorise. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 150 Truth is truth in each degree, Thunderpealed by God to Nature, whispered by my soul to me.

    b. with the person, etc. as obj. (fig. from 3).

1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. iii. 210 Giue sorrow words; the griefe that do's not speake, Whispers the o're-fraught heart, and bids it breake. 1713 Addison Cato ii. i, Something whispers me All is not right. 1761 A. Murphy All in Wrong i. 1 What devil whispered thee to marry such a woman? 1771 Goldsm. Hist. Eng. II. 394 Adulation had whispered the king with such an opinion of his own ability. 1832 Disraeli Cont. Fleming v, Nature seemed to whisper me the folly of learning words instead of ideas. 1849 T. Woolner My Beautiful Lady, Noon iv, Western wind..Whisper deliciously the trembling flowers.

    Hence (nonce-wds.) ˈwhisperable a., that can be whispered; whispeˈration, whispering.

1830 Blackw. Mag. XXVIII. 893 All speak—talk—whisper—or smile, of all the speakable, talkable, *whisperable, and smileable..affairs.

1710 C. Shadwell Fair Quaker Deal iii. 37 Coxen. Ah—when the Captain and Purser whispers, our Guts ought to grumble. 6 Sailor. Ay, Coxen, those *Whisperations are many an Ounce of Butter and Cheese out of our Way.

Oxford English Dictionary