See Also: whisper(medicine)
whisper(2)(dictionary)
whisper(1)(dictionary)
Whisper stock(finance)
Whisper stock(money)
stage whisper(dictionary)
whisper 1, verb(dictionary)
whisper 2, noun(dictionary)
Whisper number or forecast(finance)
Whisper number or forecast(money)

whisper(2) (iou)



whisper verb.
[Old English hwisprian = early Flemish wisperen, German wispern (of Low German origin), rel. to synon. Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wispelen, Old High German (h)wispalon (German wispeln), Old Norse hviskra, hvisla, from Germanic imit. base also of WHISTLE verb.]
I.
verb intrans. Speak very softly without vibration of the vocal cords; talk or converse in this way, esp. for the sake of secrecy. OE.
Aldous Huxley He took the trouble to whisper.
b. verb trans. Foll. by adverb: bring by soft speech. Chiefly poet. L17.
Dryden Rising Fears are whisper'd thro' the Crowd.
verb trans. Say or report privately or confidentially; in pass., be rumoured; (in neg. contexts) say the least word of. LME.
L. Strachey It was whispered that Lady Flora was with child.
b. verb intrans. Speak or converse privately or conspiratorially about a person or thing; esp. (in neg. contexts) say the least word against etc. E16.
S. Pepys Ne'er a prince in France dare whisper against it.
c. verb trans. Foll. by adverb, adverbial phr.: bring by private (esp. malicious) speech. M17.
H. Bushnell The great majority..are..beckoned, whispered into their calling.
verb trans. Say, utter, or express very softly, esp. for the sake of secrecy; arch. address, tell, or ask very softly. M16.
Dickens Miss Jane..whispered her sister to observe how jealous Mr. Cheggs was. W. Sheed Catholic recusants..who..held whispered Masses in makeshift chapels. W. Cather Amedee..whispered..that they were going to play a joke on the girls. A. Maupin 'Sorry,' whispered Brian, backing away.
II.
verb intrans. Make a soft rustling sound. E16.
J. Steinbeck The trees whispered softly in the breeze.
b. verb trans. Express or communicate by a soft rustling sound. M17.
verb trans. Suggest (something) secretly or mysteriously to the mind; arch. suggest secretly or mysteriously to the mind of (a person). E17.
Disraeli Nature seemed to whisper me the folly of learning words instead of ideas. P. Bowles Her intuition whispered to her to lie absolutely still.
whisperer noun M16.
whisperingly adverb in a whispering manner, in a whisper L16.