▪ I. siss, n.
[Cf. next.]
A hissing sound.
| 1870 Talmage Crumbs Swept Up 397 The chuck and siss and smoke of the bar, as it plunged into the water. |
▪ II. siss, v. Now dial. and U.S.
(sɪs)
Also 4 ciss-, sciss-, syss-.
[ME. cissen, sissen, = MDu. cissen, Du. and LG. sissen, of imitative origin: cf. G. zischen and sizz v.]
intr. To hiss.
In dial. use also trans., to hiss (a person), to incite (a dog) by hissing: see Eng. Dial. Dict.
| 13.. W. de Bibbesworth in Wright Voc. (1857) 152 Serpent ciphele, scisset [v.r. cisses]. c 1400 MS. Bibl. Reg. 12 B. i. f. 12 (Halliw.), Sibilus est genus serpentis,..a syssing. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 21 Their peeces..sometimes lieth sissing in the touchhole or peece. 1828– in dialect glossaries (Yks., Lanc., Chesh., Linc.). 1828–32 Webster, Siss, to hiss; a legitimate word in universal popular use in New England. 1859 in Bartlett Dict. Amer. (ed. 2). 1886 S.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., I've always a sissing noise in my head. Ibid., If a sup o' rain were to fall, it would siss. |
▪ III. siss
(obs. Sc.): see sithe, time.
▪ IV. siss
var. sis n.