3. To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately. [Obs.] "He came to whisper Wolsey." Shak.
Whisper
(Whis"per), n.
1. A low, soft, sibilant voice or utterance, which can be heard only by those near at hand; voice or utterance
that employs only breath sound without tone, friction against the edges of the vocal cords and arytenoid
cartilages taking the place of the vibration of the cords that produces tone; sometimes, in a limited sense,
the sound produced by such friction as distinguished from breath sound made by friction against parts
of the mouth. See Voice, n., 2, and Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 5, 153, 154.
The inward voice or whisper can not give a tone.
Bacon.
Soft whispers through the assembly went.
Dryden. 2. A cautious or timorous speech. South.
3. Something communicated in secret or by whispering; a suggestion or insinuation.
4. A low, sibilant sound. "The whispers of the leaves." Tennyson.
Whisperer
(Whis"per*er) n.
1. One who whispers.
2. A tattler; one who tells secrets; a conveyer of intelligence secretly; hence; a backbiter; one who slanders
secretly. Prov. xvi. 28.
Whispering
(Whis"per*ing), a. & n. from Whisper. v. t.
Whispering gallery, or Whispering dome, one of such a form that sounds produced in certain parts
of it are concentrated by reflection from the walls to another part, so that whispers or feeble sounds are
audible at a much greater distance than under ordinary circumstances.
Whisperingly
(Whis"per*ing*ly), adv. In a whisper, or low voice; in a whispering manner; with whispers.
Tennyson.
Whisperously
(Whis"per*ous*ly) adv. Whisperingly. [R.]
Whist
(Whist) interj. [Cf. G. st! pst! bst! . Cf. Hist.] Be silent; be still; hush; silence.
Whist
(Whist), n. [From Whist, interj.] A certain game at cards; — so called because it requires silence
and close attention. It is played by four persons (those who sit opposite each other being partners) with
a complete pack of fifty-two cards. Each player has thirteen cards, and when these are played out, he
hand is finished, and the cards are again shuffled and distributed.
Points are scored for the tricks taken in excess of six, and for the honors held. In long whist, now seldom
played, ten points make the game; in short whist, now usually played in England, five points make the
game. In American whist, so-called, honors are not counted, and seven points by tricks make the game.
Whist
(Whist), v. t. [From Whist, interj.] To hush or silence. [Obs.] Spenser.
Whist
(Whist), v. i. To be or become silent or still; to be hushed or mute. [R.] Surrey.
Whist
(Whist), a. [Properly p. p. of whist, v.] Not speaking; not making a noise; silent; mute; still; quiet.
"So whist and dead a silence." Sir J. Harrington.
The winds, with wonder whist,
Smoothly the waters kissed.
Milton.
