▪ I. whisk, n.1
(hwɪsk)
Forms: 4–6 Sc. wysk, 5–6 Sc. quhisk, 5–9 wisk, 6 whysk, 6–7 whiske, 7 wiske, 6– whisk.
[orig. wisk, wysk, and first in Sc. texts; partly f. whisk v., partly ad. Scandinavian n. represented by ON. visk wisp, Sw. viska besom, wisp, swab, Norw. visk wisp, cluster, pull, tug = OHG. wisc (MHG., G. wisch) wisp of hay, dish-clout, (M)DU. wisch wisp, LG. wisk quick movement, moment of time: see whisk v.]
I. 1. A brief rapid sweeping movement; a sudden light stroke, rush, dart, etc.; a light stroke of a brush or other sweeping implement. Also transf. and fig.
In later use regarded as noun of action from the verb (quasi an act of whisking); but evidenced in quots. earlier than the verb.
with a whisk becomes phrasal = in an instant, in a flash: similarly in a whisk.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 641 The king..Vatit the sper..And with a wysk the hed of-strak. c 1480 Henryson Paddock & Mouse 122 With ane wisk..He claucht his cluik betuix thame. a 1510 Douglas K. Hart i. 199 Fresche Bewtie with ane wysk come vp belyve. 1577 Stanyhurst Descr. Irel. 18/1 in Holinshed, Sodaynly it [sc. a salmon] fetcheth such a round Whiske, that at a trice it skippeth to the top of the rocke. a 1586 Montgomerie Misc. Poems iii. 28 Quhen with a quhisk sho [sc. Fortune] quhirlis about hir quheill. 1589 [? Lyly] Pappe w. Hatchet To Rdr., To giue them a whiske with their owne wand. a 1625 Fletcher Noble Gent. v. i, This first sad whisk [of the sword] Takes off thy Dukedom. 1644 Bulwer Chirol. 94 [He] brings in Cæsar in the whiske of one of his Epigrams. a 1693 Urquhart's Rabelais iii. xvii. 141 Three Whisks of a Broom Besom. 1821 Scott Pirate xxi, Come and gae like a glance of the sun, or the whisk of a whirlwind. 1853 Lytton My Novel iv. xi, The pad [mare]..giving a petulant whisk of her tail. 1863 Lowell Two Scenes from Life of Blondel ii. v, If a whisk of Fate's broom snap your cobweb asunder. 1863 Reader 7 Nov. 538 His [sc. tiger's] tail looks as if it had a wisk in it still. 1869 Mrs. Stowe Oldtown Folks xxxiv. (1870) 407 These wild, sudden whisks of gaiety. 1896 Conan Doyle Rodney Stone xiii, He walked up and down the room..turning with a whisk upon his heel every now and then. 1900 Zangwill Mantle of Elijah ii. xv, You see it all in a whisk. |
II. 2. A neckerchief worn by women in the latter half of the 17th century. Obs. exc. Hist.
| 1654 in Jeaffreson Midsx. County Rec. (1888) III. 225 Six Corle Whiskes worth seventeen shillings, six Corle Gorgetts worth fourteen shillings, [etc.] a 1658 Cleveland Zealous Disc. Wks. (1687) 382 Pray rectifie my Gorget, smooth my Whisk. 1660 Pepys Diary 22 Nov., My wife..bought her a white whisk and put it on. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. ii. 17/1 A Womans Neck Whisk..is used both Plain and Laced, and is called of most a Gorgett or a falling Whisk. 1706 E. Ward Hud. Rediv. (Nares) With whisks of lawn, by grannums wore. |
3. An instrument, now freq. a bundle of wires, for beating up eggs, cream, or the like.
| 1666 Boyle Orig. Formes & Qual. 111 By beating the White of an Egge well with a Whisk, you may reduce it from a somewhat Tenacious into a Fluid Body. 1747 H. Glasse Cookery xv. 140 First beat the Whites of the Eggs up well with a Whisk. 1882 Worc. Exhib. Catal. iii. 38 Egg whisk for confectioners. |
4. A bundle or tuft of twigs, hair, feathers, etc. fixed on a handle, used for brushing or dusting; also, a water-sprinkler.
| 1729 Swift Direct. Serv. viii. (1745) 75 If you happen to break any China with the Top of the Wisk. 1772 T. Simpson Vermin-Killer 18 With a whisk, sprinkle the corn..with it. 1834 Marryat Peter Simple xiii, Father M‘Grath seized hold of the pot of holy water, and dipping in the little whisk, began to sprinkle the room. 1844 G. Dodd Textile Manuf. vi. 176 The reeler then takes a whisk of fine twigs bound together. |
b. A slender hair-like or bristle-like part or appendage, as those on the tails of certain insects.
(In first quot. app. used for ‘sting’.)
| a 1618 Sylvester Tobacco Battered 290 The..piercing Poyson of a Dragon's Whisk, Or deadly Ey-shot of a Basilisk. 1676 Cotton Angler ii. viii. 72 This..Stone-Flie..has two or three whisks..at the tag of his tail. 1747 Bowlker Art Angling 64 The May Fly..with a long forked Tail made with the Hair or Whisks of a Fitchow's Tail. 1859 Kingsley Glaucus (ed. 4) 198 The Ephemeræ..throwing off the whole of their skins (even..to the skin of the eyes and wings, and the delicate ‘whisks’ at their tail). 1886 F. M. Halford Floating Flies 38 If the fly to be imitated has setæ or whisks. 1887 J. H. Keene Fishing Tackle 181 Two whisks from a long fibre hackle, or two rabbit's whiskers. |
c. The panicle or other part of certain plants used for making into brushes or brooms; esp. the panicle of the common millet or ‘broom-corn’ (Sorghum vulgare); hence, the plant itself.
| 1757 [see whisk seed in 7]. 1805 Trans. Soc. Arts XXIII. 258 Whisk, the article of which carpet brushes are formed. 1874 Treas. Bot. Suppl., Whisk, a trade name for the flower-spikes of Sorghum vulgare. 1893 Let. to Editor from Director of Kew Gardens, The fibrous root received for identification is that of Chrysopogon Gryllus, Trin. known as the Venetian or French Whisk. 1902 Hannan Textile Fibres 157 Whisk, Mexican (Epicampes macroura). Ibid. 160 Whisk, Italian (Sorghum). |
d. A small bunch, tuft, wisp.
| 1845 S. Judd Margaret ii. xi, The ceiling was divided by whisks of flowers. 1862 Smiles Engineers III. 318 Holding over their work large whisks of straw..to protect the bricks and cement. |
e. A swarm of insects whisking or moving briskly about. rare—1.
| 1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling vi. 202 The Fœtid Brown, or mushroom fly..may be seen in small whisks or swarms skipping up and down over the water. |
5. A name for various mechanical appliances having a whisking movement. a. A kind of winnowing-machine. b. A machine for winding yarn. c. A cooper's plane for levelling the chimes of casks.
| 1813 Vancouver Agric. Devon 127 Few winnowing-machines, saving a common whisk or fly, are used in this county. 1825 Jamieson, Whisks, a machine for winding yarn on a quill or clue. 1863 J. Watson Weaving ii. 57 In winding warp from the hank, swifts or whisks are used. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., Whisk, a cooper's plane. |
III. † 6. A whipper-snapper. Obs. slang.
| 1628 Ford Lover's Mel. iii. i, No quarrels, good'ee Whiske. a 1652 Brome Novella iv. ii. L 7 b, Nic. This is the Gentleman. Pi. Tis the proud Braches whiske! a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Whisk, a little inconsiderable impertinent Fellow. |
IV. 7. attrib. and Comb. (Some of these may be regarded as attrib. uses of the stem of whisk v.) whisk broom = sense 4; † whisk-comb (see quot.); † whisk rod, a rod consisting of twigs or the like (cf. whisk v. 4); whisk seed, millet-seed (see 4 c); whisk tail, a tail that is or may be whisked; hence whisk-tailed a., having a whisk tail.
| 1857 Local Act 20 & 21 Vict. c. cxlii. Sched. (B) *Whisk Brooms, loose, per 1,000 0 0 9. 1897 Army & Navy Co-op. Soc., Ltd. No. 4 Dept. Special List 193 Whisk Broom, Leather bound with handle. |
| 1688 Holme Armoury iii. xiv. (Roxb.) 13/1 The *Wiske combe, haue teeth on one side, and are wide and slender. |
| Ibid. vii. 312/1 The *Whisk Rod is used to correct Rebellious Youths. |
| 1757 Franklin Lett. Wks. 1887 II. 494, I enclose you some *whisk seed; it is a kind of corn, good for creatures. |
| 1675 Lond. Gaz. No. 976/4 One Bay Mare,..with a *whisk Tayl. 1697 Flying Post 19–21 Oct. 2/2 A small Spaniel Lap-Dog,..a short whisk Tail. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5836/4 A well spread Mare,..with a short whisk Tail. |
| 1675 Ibid. No. 952/4 Two Geldings,..both *whisk Tail'd. 1859 C. Rossetti Goblin Market 107 The whisk-tailed merchant bade her taste. |
▪ II. whisk, n.2 Obs. or dial.
[? f. whisk v.]
The earlier name of the card-game now called whist (whist n.3). Also attrib. Hence † ˈwhisker (wisker) nonce-wd., a whist-player.
| 1621 J. Taylor (Water P.) Motto D 4, He flings his money free..At One and thirty, or at Poore and rich, Ruffe, slam, Trump, nody, whisk. 1674 Cotton Compl. Gamester v. (1680) 61 The elder begins and younger follows in suit as at Whisk. [Elsewhere in the book Whist.] 1704 T. Baker Act at Oxf. iii. ii. 33 We'll sit down to Ombre, Picquet, Wisk, and Swabbers; or One and Thirty Bone-ace. 1723 Lady Bristol in Lett.-bks. J. Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol (1894) II. 278 The wiskers have promised me some diversion. Ibid. 287, I reign Queen of the whisk party. Ibid. 291 He will be missd..as a whisk player. 1728 [see swabber2]. 1810 Sporting Mag. XXXVI. 75 Playing at whisk in an obscure village, in the Christmas holidays. 1829 Brockett N.C. Gloss. (ed. 2), Whisk, a vulgar pronunciation of whist. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Whisk, whist, a game at cards. 1880 [see swab n.2]. |
▪ III. whisk, v. (adv., int.)
Forms: see whisk n.1
[In early use Sc.; prob. of Scandinavian origin: cf. Sw. viska to whisk (off), sponge, Da. viske to wipe, whisk, rub, sponge (a gun), Norw. viska to put straw, etc. together in a bundle = OHG. wisken (MHG., G. wischen) to wipe, † intr. to move lightly or briskly, LG. wisken to move quickly, wipe off, etc.: cf. whisk n.1 The spelling with wh was adopted as being symbolic (cf. whip).]
1. a. intr. To move with a light rapid sweeping motion; to make a single sudden movement of this kind, to rush or dart nimbly; to move about or travel swiftly or briskly (occas. with it).
| c 1480 Henryson Swallow xliii, Like to the mow before the face of wind Quhiskis away. 1513 Douglas æneis iii. iv. 68 Suddanlie away thai [sc. harpies] wisk ilk ane, Furth of our sicht, heich wp in the sky. Ibid. xii. xii. 172 Lyke as befor the hund wyskis the hair. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. James iv. 7–17 You..whiske about by sea and by lande, to get pelfe. 1592 R. D. Hypnerotomachia 12 b, Their vestures whisking vp and flying abroad. 1623 R. Jobson Golden Trade 35 Beasts..will wiske with their tayles,..to auoyde or be rid of them [sc. flies]. a 1699 J. Beaumont Psyche xx. cxlvii, Sweets which each silly Wind that whisketh by, Snatcheth, and scattereth. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 144 ¶2 We..watch an Opportunity to whisk cross a Passage, very thankful that we are not run over. 1719 D'Urfey Pills I. 172 Prickets from Thickets, Come whisk it and frisk it. 1800 E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. III. 272 In whisking round a sharp angle, they over⁓set the carriage. 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville II. 133 The..beavers..chasing each other about the pond, dodging and whisking about on the surface. 1868 L. M. Alcott Little Women iii, As Meg appeared, Scrabble [the pet rat] whisked into his hole. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton xviii. 254 We whisked through Maghull village. |
b. The vb.-stem used as adv. or int.: With a whisk, or sudden light movement.
| 1750 Gray Long Story 79 Out of the window, whisk, they flew. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xlvii, He carried in his pocket..a fire-box of mysterious..construction; and as sure as ever Kit's mother closed her eyes, so surely—whisk, rattle, fizz—there was the single gentleman consulting his watch by a flame of fire. 1916 ‘Boyd Cable’ Action Front 12, I heard..something else goin' whisk like a cane switched past your ear. 1919 H. Walpole Secret City ii. v. 353 A beautiful fruit just within his grasp... He's going to taste it, when whisk! it's gone. |
2. a. trans. To move (something) about, away, back, etc. with a light sweeping motion.
| 1513 Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 163 Quhen I walkynnit, all that welth was wiskyt away. 1594 Marlowe & Nashe Dido ii. C 1 b, He..whiskt his sword about. 1675 Hobbes Odyssey xi. 576 A sudden winde..whiskt away the Twigs. 1711 Budgell Spect. No. 67. ¶9 [He] ran to his Partner,..and whisked her round cleverly above ground. 1768 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 83 Burning a small stick at the end..and whisking it round to make gold lace, as we called it. 1784 Cowper Task vi. 317 The squirrel..there whisks his brush, And perks his ears. 1837 Dickens Pickw. iv, The horses..whisked their tails about. 1884 Manch. Exam. 24 Nov. 6/3 One cannot always guard against a whirlpool catching the rudder..and whisking the boat round. 1916 A. B. Reeve Pois. Pen iii, I forgot about it as I was whisked up in the elevator. |
b. in reference to rapid travel: cf. whirl.
| 1694 N. H. Ladies Dict. 436 They whisk her to Bath, to Bristol. 1801 G. Colman Poor Gentl. iv. i. 59 There are four spanking greys..that shall whisk you to town in a minute. 1817 W. T. Moncrieff Giovanni in Lond. i. ii, Ply your oar, and wisk me over to the other side. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton ii, A solitary omnibus, which daily whisks a few country people..down to Uxbridge. |
3. To brush or sweep lightly and rapidly from a surface, esp. with a light instrument, as a feather or small brush.
| 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. x. (1626) 214 Their tufted tailes Whiske vp the dust. c 1790 Imison's Sch. Arts II. 26 Having drawn the outline..faintly with charcoal, whisking out the faulty part with a feather. 1822 W. Irving Braceb. Hall II. 259 His..horse stood, stamping and whisking off the flies. 1838 Dickens O. Twist xxiii, The beadle..finished a piece of toast; whisked the crumbs off his knees [etc.]. 1881 Walford Dick Netherby v, ‘An' shame on you for thinkin' sae.’ Mrs. M‘Clintock whisked her apron from her eyes. |
4. To beat or whip with a rod of twigs or the like. Obs. in gen. sense: in later use, To stir or beat up (eggs, cream, etc.) with a light rapid movement (= whip v. 7), esp. by means of a whisk (see whisk n.1 3).
| 1530 R. Whitford Werke for Housholders E i, Yf any chylde be..stubburne,..let it..be whysked with a good rodde. 1703 [implied in whisking vbl. n.]. 1710 T. Fuller Pharmacopœia 325 Whites of Eggs beat up and whisk'd 'till it stand all in froth. 1836 J. Mollard Art of Cookery 265 A tea spoonful of Gum Dragon whisked to a solid froth. 1846 A. Soyer Cookery 49 Using three whole and three yolks of eggs, but omitting the whisked whites. 1904 Cassell's New Dict. Cookery s.v. Cream, Whipped, Double cream may be simply whipped by whisking it with a wire whisk until it thickens. |
† 5. fig. app. To hoax. (Cf. frisk v. 4 b.)
| 1674 J. Howard Engl. Mounsieur v. iv, Hark ye Mr. Frenchlove, I believe you and I are whisk't with a couple of Wives, for Mr. Welbred, and Mr. Comely pretended to be in love with them, and the Devil a bit there's any such thing. |