WHISPER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does whisper mean? 

• WHISPER (noun)
  The noun WHISPER has 2 senses:

1. speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

2. a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

  Familiarity information: WHISPER used as a noun is rare.

• WHISPER (verb)
  The verb WHISPER has 1 sense:

1. speak softly; in a low voice

  Familiarity information: WHISPER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WHISPER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

susurration; voicelessness; whisper; whispering

Hypernyms ("whisper" is a kind of...):

speaking; speech production (the utterance of intelligible speech)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "whisper"):

stage whisper (a loud whisper that can be overheard; on the stage it is heard by the audience but it supposed to be inaudible to the rest of the cast)

Derivation:

whisper (speak softly; in a low voice)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

rustle; rustling; whisper; whispering

Hypernyms ("whisper" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

• WHISPER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they whisper    ... he / she / it whispers   
Past simple: whispered   
Past participle: whispered   
-ing form: whispering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speak softly; in a low voice

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "whisper" is one way to...):

mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue whisper

Antonym:

shout (utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking))

Derivation:

whisper (speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords)

whisperer (one who speaks in a whisper)

whispering (speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords)

 Context examples 

“That’s his bedroom,” Holmes whispered.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"When did you love me?" she whispered.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was very quiet; on the third, Mrs. Rucastle came down just after breakfast and whispered something to her husband.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Bill!" he whispered, once and twice; "Bill!"

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“One kiss, dear love,” I whispered. “One kiss more before they come.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"Don't fire! Don't fire!" whispered Lord John.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Doesn't she know?" I heard the woman whisper.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

As Dorothy entered they looked at her curiously, and one of them whispered: Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

While they were speaking, a whispering between her father and Elizabeth caught her ear.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Draw down the blind, Jim, whispered my mother; they might come and watch outside.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)