[f. WHISPER v.]
1. An act, or the action, of whispering, or speaking ‘under one’s breath’; the low non-resonant quality of voice which characterizes this (esp. in phr. in a whisper).
In Phonetics (equivalently), Speech or vocal sound without the musical or resonant tone produced by vibration of the vocal cords; a ‘breath’ sound, as distinguished from ‘voice’ (see BREATH 10, VOICE sb. 1 g); in strict use implying also contraction of the glottis: see also 4.
1608. Shaks., Per., III. i. 9. The sea-mans Whistle Is as a whisper in the eares of death, Vnheard.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 174. The Inward Voice or Whisper can neuer giue a Tone.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 10, ¶ 9. Secrets which he always communicates in a whisper.
1778. Miss Burney, Evelina (1791), I. xxiii. 124. I heard him say … in an audible whisper,—which is a mode of speech very distressing and disagreeable to by-standers [etc.].
1836. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Crim. Crts. Conversing in low whispers. Ibid. (1837), Pickw., xlv. Mr. Weller delivered this … with great vehemence of whisper.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., II. iv. § 35 (1864), 319. In a whisper there is no musical sound.
1877. Sweet, Handbk. Phonetics, 5. Whisper in popular language simply means speech without voice. Phonetically whisper implies not merely absence of voice, but a definite contraction of the glottis.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xxii. ‘Mind, it’s a secret.’ He lowered his voice to a whisper.
b. A whispered word, phrase, remark or speech.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. Chor. 7. From Camp to Camp,… The Humme of eyther Army stilly sounds; That the fixt Centinels almost receiue The secret Whispers of each others Watch.
1624. Massinger, Parl. Love, V. i. She has put The judges to their whisper.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 203. Full well the busy whisper, circling round, Convey’d the dismal tidings when he frown’d.
1821. Byron, Sardanap., III. i. 424. What, at whispers With my stern brother?
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xi. The sage Persian comforted him by a long whisper, of which the last part only was heard.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Demerara, xi. Some relaxation of discipline allowed them to exchange a whisper from time to time.
c. Pig’s whisper: see PIG sb.1 13 c. Stage whisper: see STAGE sb. 13.
2. A secret or slight utterance, mention or report; a suggestion, insinuation, hint, light rumor (communicated in a whispering voice, or fig. by a soft rustling sound (cf. 3) or mentally); with negative, the slightest mention, the ‘least word.’
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 178. Not a word, nor quhisper in thair contrare.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. i. 80. At least the whisper goes so. Ibid., IV. v. 82. The people … vnwholsome in their thoughts, and whispers For good Polonius death.
1664. in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends, Ser. II. (1911), 191. Some whispers that the Judges would not proceede against any of the Quakers.
1677. W. Hubbard, Pres. St. New Eng., 43. The bullet passing through his own hair, by that whisper telling him that death was very near.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 64, ¶ 1. He [sc. a Courtier] deals much in Whispers, and you may see he dresses according to the best Intelligence.
1780. Bentham, Introd. Mor. & Legisl., xvii. § 11 (1789), 313. If the thunders of the law prove impotent, the whispers of simple morality can have but little influence.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., vi. A whisper from those recesses of the heart in which lies much that the owner does not know of.
1827. J. W. Croker, in C. Papers, 17 April (1884), I. 374. No one raises even a whisper of reproach against Peel.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, xxviii. He rejected the pleadings of pity—the whispers of conscience.
1873. Burton, Hist. Scot., VI. lxxii. 292. There were whispers that he was to be put to death without trial.
3. fig. A soft rustling sound resembling or suggesting that of a whispering voice.
1637. Milton, Lycidas, 136. The milde whispers … Of shades and wanton winds, and gushing brooks.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., III. xiii. With far-heard whisper, o’er the sea, Off shot the spectre-bark.
1842. Tennyson, Gard. Dau., 248. Whispers, like the whispers of the leaves That tremble round a nightingale.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, v. A silence, broken only by the whisper of the wind through the rigging.
4. attrib. Uttered in a whisper; in Phonetics, uttered without the vocal murmur, ‘breath’ (see BREATH 10); whisper-shot nonce-wd. [after earshot], the distance within which a whisper can be heard.
1626. Breton, Fantasticks, Wks. (Grosart), II. 6/2. The leaues of the trees are in whisper talkes.
1838. E. Guest, Engl. Rhythms, I. 9. It is … doubtful if there ever was a language which had its whisper letters perfect. Ibid., 10. The whisper sounds of the two liquids l, r, constitute two distinct letters in Welsh.
1846. Proc. Philol. Soc., III. 4. The sound of th, whether whisper or vocal.
1876. Lanier, in Atlantic Monthly (1899), LXXXIII. 799/1. I … inserted a whisper chorus … to prepare by its straining pianissimo for the outburst of jubilation.
1890. W. S. Gilbert, Foggerty’s Fairy, etc., 152. Inforining everybody within whisper-shot … that this was my first brief.
Hence Whisperhood nonce-wd., the condition of being a whisper (in sense 2); Whisperless a., not uttering a whisper, or in which no whisper is heard; absolutely silent; Whisperous (whence Whisperously adv.), Whispery adjs., full of or characterized by whispers; resembling a whisper.
1710. Swift, Examiner, No. 15, ¶ 5. I know a Lie that now disturbs half the Kingdom with its Noise, which … I can remember in its *Whisper-hood.
1863. P. S. Worsley, Poems & Transl., 19. Crouching *whisperless.
1911. R. Brooke, Coll. Poems (1918), 74. The secret deeps are whisperless.
1884. Ld. Lytton, in 19th Cent., Dec., 898. The *whisperous, awe-struck tone of the voice. Ibid. (1892), King Poppy, viii. 8. Waves that, hid in whisperous shadows, heaved.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? V. viii. The Duchess … sinks her voice, and gabbles on—*whisperously.
1834. Mrs. Hemans, Zegri Maid, ii. Wks. 1843, VII. 25. In the *whispery olive shade.
1844. Lowell, Columbus, 5. The reeling sea … falling Crumbled to whispery foam.
1861. L. L. Noble, Icebergs, 254. The whispery, hissing sound of smoothly sliding waters.
