# whisper

Pronunciation: US say "WIS-pur" /ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/; UK say "WIS-puh" /ˈ(h)wɪspə/

## Noun

1. An act of speaking very quietly, using breath rather than the vibration of the vocal cords.
   - Simple: A way of speaking very quietly, using breath instead of your full voice.
   - _He delivered the warning in a barely audible whisper._
   - _Across the hall, their nervous whispers blended into a steady hum._
4. A barely perceptible amount or hint of something, such as a flavor or a tone.
   - Simple: A tiny sign or very small amount of something.
   - _A whisper of sarcasm crept into her otherwise polite reply._
   - _The soup had just a whisper of garlic._
5. An unconfirmed report or rumor that spreads quietly among people.
   - Simple: A piece of news that spreads quietly and may not be true.
   - _A whisper of a merger sent the stock price climbing._
   - _Whispers of his resignation reached the press before any official word._
6. A low, soft rustling sound, like that of wind in the leaves.
   - Simple: A soft, light sound, like wind moving through leaves.
   - _A whisper of silk accompanied her every movement._
   - _The forest answered with the whisper of branches overhead._
11. A private message sent to a single individual in a chat room or online game.
   - Simple: A private message sent to just one person in an online chat.
   - _He sent a quick whisper to the team captain about the strategy._
   - _She ignored the whispers cluttering her chat during the tournament._

## Verb

2. To speak very softly, using breath rather than the vibration of the vocal cords, so that only someone nearby can hear.
   - Simple: To speak very quietly, using breath so that only someone close can hear.
   - _They whisper whenever the teacher turns toward the board._
   - _He leaned in and whispered close to her ear._
3. To say something very softly, using breath rather than vocal-cord vibration, so that only someone nearby can hear it.
   - Simple: To say something very quietly, using breath so that only someone close hears it.
   - _He whispered an apology before slipping out of the room._
   - _Whisper your name, and I will add you to the list._
7. To mention something privately and confidentially, or in a low voice.
   - Simple: To tell something to someone in a private, secret way.
   - _Insiders whisper the names of likely candidates well before any vote._
   - _She whispered the merger details to a single trusted reporter._
8. To make a low, hissing or rustling sound.
   - Simple: To make a soft, hissing sound, like air slipping through a small gap.
   - _The wind whispered through the broken window all night._
   - _Old radiators whisper as the steam moves through them._
9. To talk in low voices, often cautiously or while secretly plotting.
   - Simple: To talk quietly and secretly, often when planning something.
   - _The conspirators whispered late into the night._
   - _Whenever the boss left, the staff would whisper about the rumored cuts._
10. To tame or train an animal through skilled, gentle, quiet handling.
   - Simple: To gently calm and train an animal using a quiet, patient manner.
   - _Trainers who whisper difficult animals rely on patience rather than force._
   - _She whispered the nervous mare back to a steady walk._
12. To send a private message to a single individual in a chat room or game.
   - Simple: To send a private message to just one person in an online chat.
   - _Just whisper the guild leader if you have any questions._
   - _He whispered her privately instead of posting in the main channel._
13. To project words directly into another person's mind through telepathy.
   - Simple: To send words into someone's mind without speaking out loud.
   - _The telepath could whisper across great distances to anyone she had once met._
   - _He whispered the coordinates into her thoughts as the ship descended._

## Verb

14. To address a person directly in a whisper or low voice. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To speak quietly and directly to one person in a low voice.
15. To prompt or warn a person secretly and cautiously, giving private information. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To secretly tell or warn someone, giving them private information.
   - _An informant whispered the magistrate about the planned escape._
   - _Trusted aides would whisper the duke whenever trouble drew near._

## Origin

It comes from Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian ("to mutter, murmur, whisper"), which goes back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to hiss, whistle, whisper." It is related to English 'whistle' and cognate with Dutch wisperen and German wispern.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/whisper (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).