Forms: 4–6 Sc. wysk, 5–6 Sc. quhisk, 5–9 wisk, 6 whysk, 6–7 whiske, 7 wiske, 6– whisk. [orig. wisk, wysk, and first in Sc. texts; partly f. WHISK v., partly ad. Scandinavian sb. represented by ON. visk wisp, Sw. viska besom, wisp, swab, Norw. visk wisp, cluster, pull, tug = OHG. wisc (MHG., G. wisch) wisp of hay, dish-clout, (M)Du. wisch wisp, LG. wisk quick movement, moment of time: see WHISK v.]
I. 1. A brief rapid sweeping movement; a sudden light stroke, rush, dart, etc.; a light stroke of a brush or other sweeping implement. Also transf. and fig.
In later use regarded as noun of action from the verb (quasi an act of whisking); but evidenced in quots. earlier than the verb.
With a whisk becomes phrasal = in an instant, in a flash: similarly in a whisk.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 641. The king … Vatit the sper … And with a wysk the hed of-strak.
c. 1480. Henryson, Paddock & Mouse, 122. With ane wisk … He claucht his cluik betuix thame.
a. 1510. Douglas, K. Hart, I. 199. Fresche Bewtie with ane wysk come vp belyve.
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Irel., 18/1, in Holished. Sodaynly it [sc. a salmon] fetcheth such a round Whiske, that at a trice it skippeth to the top of the rocke.
a. 1586. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, iii. 28. Quhen with a quhisk sho [sc. Fortune] quhirlis about hir quheill.
1589. [? Lyly], Pappe w. Hatchet, To Rdr. To giue them a whiske with their owne wand.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Noble Gent., V. i. This first sad whisk [of the sword] Takes off thy Dukedom.
1644. Bulwer, Chirol., 94. [He] brings in Cæsar in the whiske of one of his Epigrams.
a. 1693. Urquhart’s Rabelais, III. xvii. 141. Three Whisks of a Broom Besom.
1821. Scott, Pirate, xxi. Come and gae like a glance of the sun, or the whisk of a whirlwind.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, IV. xi. The pad [mare] … giving a petulant whisk of her tail.
1863. Lowell, Two Scenes from Life of Blondel, II. v. If a whisk of Fate’s broom snap your cobweb asunder.
1863. Reader, 7 Nov., 538. His [sc. tiger’s] tail looks as if it had a wisk in it still.
1869. Mrs. Stowe, Oldtown Folks, xxxiv. (1870), 407. These wild, sudden whisks of gaiety.
1896. Conan Doyle, Rodney Stone, xiii. 226. He walked up and down the room with little, impatient steps as he talked, turning with a whisk upon his heel every now and then, as if some invisible rail had brought him up.
1900. Zangwill, Mantle of Elijah, II. xv. You see it all in a whisk.
II. 2. A neckerchief worn by women in the latter half of the 17th century. Obs. exc. Hist.
1654. in Jeaffreson, Midsx. County Rec. (1888), III. 225. Six Corle Whiskes worth seventeen shillings, six Corle Gorgetts worth fourteen shillings, [etc.].
a. 1658. Cleveland, Zealous Disc., Wks. (1687), 382. Pray rectifie my Gorget, smooth my Whisk.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 22 Nov. My wife … bought her a white whisk and put it on.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. ii. 17/1. A Womans Neck Whisk … is used both Plain and Laced, and is called of most a Gorgett or a falling Whisk.
1706. E. Ward, Hud. Rediv. (Nares). With whisks of lawn, by grannums wore.
3. An instrument, now freq. a bundle of wires, for beating up eggs, cream, or the like.
1666. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual., 111. By beating the White of an Egge well with a Whisk, you may reduce it from a somewhat Tenacious into a Fluid Body.
1747. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, xv. 140. First beat the Whites of the Eggs up well with a Whisk.
1882. Worc. Exhib. Catal., III. 38. Egg whisk for confectioners.
4. A bundle or tuft of twigs, hair, feathers, etc., fixed on a handle, used for brushing or dusting; also, a water-sprinkler.
1729. Swift, Direct. Serv., viii. (1745), 75. If you happen to break any China with the Top of the Wisk.
1772. T. Simpson, Vermin-Killer, 18. With a whisk, sprinkle the corn … with it.
1834. Marryat, Peter Simple, xiii. Father M‘Grath seized hold of the pot of holy water, and dipping in the little whisk, began to sprinkle the room.
1844. G. Dodd, Textile Manuf., vi. 176. The reeler then takes a whisk of fine twigs bound together.
b. A slender hair-like or bristle-like part or appendage, as those on the tails of certain insects.
(in first quot. app. used for ‘sting.’)
a. 1618. Sylvester, Tobacco Battered, 200. The … piercing Poyson of a Dragon’s Whisk, or deadly Ey-shot of a Basilisk.
1676. Cotton, Angler, II. viii. 72. This … Stone-Flie … has two or three whisks … at the tag of his tail.
1747. Bowlker, Art Angling, 64. The May Fly … with a long forked Tail made with the Hair or Whisks of a Fitchow’s Tail.
1859. Kingsley, Glaucus (ed. 4), 198. The Ephemeræ … throwing off the whole of their skins (even … to the skin of the eyes and wings, and the delicate ‘whisks’ at their tail).
1886. F. M. Halford, Floating Flies, 38. If the fly to be imitated has setæ or whisks, lay on top of the hook [etc.].
1887. J. H. Keene, Fishing Tackle, 181. Two whisks from a long fibre hackle, or two rabbit’s whiskers.
c. The panicle or other part of certain plants used for making into brushes or brooms; esp. the panicle of the common millet or ‘broom-corn’ (Sorghum vulgare); hence, the plant itself.
1757. [see whisk seed in 7].
1805. Trans. Soc. Arts, XXIII. 258. Whisk, the article of which carpet brushes are formed.
1874. Treas. Bot., Suppl., Whisk, a trade name for the flower-spikes of Sorghum vulgare.
1893. Lett. to Editor from Director of Kew Gardens. The fibrous root received for identification is that of Chrysopogon Gryllus, Trin. known as the Venetian or French Whisk.
1902. Hannan, Textile Fibres, 157. Whisk, Mexican (Epicampes macrouro). Ibid., 160. Whisk, Italian (Sorghum).
d. A small bunch, tuft, wisp.
1845. S. Judd, Margaret, II. xi. The ceiling was divided by whisks of flowers.
1862. Smiles, Engineers, III. 318. Holding over their work large whisks of straw … to protect the bricks and cement.
e. A swarm of insects whisking or moving briskly about. rare–1.
1867. F. Francis, Bk. Angling, vi. 202. The Fœtid Brown, or mushroom fly … may be seen in small whisks or swarms, skipping up and down over the water.
5. A name for various mechanical appliances having a whisking movement. a. A kind of winnowing-machine. b. A machine for winding yarn. c. A cooper’s plane for levelling the chimes of casks.
1813. Vancouver, Agric. Devon, 127. Few winnowing-machines, saving a common whisk or fly, are used in this county.
1825. Jamieson, Whisks, a machine for winding yarn on a quill or clue.
1863. J. Watson, Weaving, ii. 57. In winding warp from the hank, swifts or whisks are used.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Whisk,… 3. a cooper’s plane.
III. † 6. A whipper-snapper. Obs. slang.
1628. Ford, Lover’s Mel., III. i. No quarrels, good’ee Whiske.
a. 1652. Brome, Novella, IV. ii. L 7 b. Nic. This is the Gentleman. Pi. Tis the proud Braches whiske!
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Whisk, a little inconsiderable, impertinent Fellow.
IV. 7. attrib. and Comb. (Some of these may be regarded as attrib. uses of the stem of WHISK v.) Whisk broom = sense 4; † whisk-comb (see quot.); † whisk rod, a rod consisting of twigs or the like (cf. WHISK v. 4); whisk seed, millet-seed (see 4 c); whisk tail, a tail that is or may be whisked; hence whisk-tailed a., having a whisk tail.
1857. Local Act 20 & 21 Vict., c. cxlii. Sched. (B). *Whisk Brooms, loose, per 1,000 0 0 9.
1897. Army & Navy Co-op. Soc., Ltd., No. 4 Dept. Special List 193. Whisk Broom, Leather bound with handle.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xiv. (Roxb.), 13/1. The *Wiske combe, haue teeth on one side, and are wide and slender. Ibid., vii. 312/1. The *Whisk Rod is used to correct Rebellious Youths.
1757. Franklin, Lett., Wks. 1887, II. 494. I enclose you some *whisk seed; it is a kind of corn, good for creatures.
1675. Lond. Gaz., No. 976/4. One Bay Mare,… with a *whisk Tayl.
1697. Flying Post, 19–21 Oct., 2/2. A small Spaniel Lap-Dog. … a short whisk Tail.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5836/4. A well spread Mare,… with a short whisk Tail. Ibid. (1675), No. 952/4. Two Geldings,… both *whisk Tail’d.
1859. Christina Rossetti, Goblin Market, 107. The whisk-tailed merchant bade her taste.
