Forms: 1 hwisprian, 5 qu-, qwysper, 5–6 whysper, 6 Sc. quhisper, 7 wisper, 6– whisper. [OE. hwisprian (only Northumb.) = Early Flem. wisperen (Kilian), G. wispern; cf. MLG., MDu. wispelen, OHG. (h)wispalôn (MHG. wispeln). ON. has hviskra, Da. hviske, Sw. viska to whisper.]
1. intr. To speak softly ‘under one’s breath,’ i.e., without the resonant tone produced by vibration of the vocal cords; to talk or converse in this way, esp. in the ear of another, for the sake of secrecy. (See also 4 a.)
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John P. 4. Murmurantes, hwisprendo.
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., Luke xix. 7. And miððy ʓeseʓon alle hwispredon [Vulg. murmurabant].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 421/1. Quysperon…, mussito. Ibid., 525/1. Whysperyn.
c. 1530. H. Rhodes, Bk. Nurture, 373, in Babees-bk., 81. Whysper not thou with thy fellowes oft.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, IV. iii. 329. Ile whisper with the Generall, and knowe his pleasure. Ibid. (1610), Temp., IV. i. 125. Iuno and Ceres whisper seriously.
1676. Hatton Corr. (Camden), I. 136. Ld Wharton, and Ld Mohun sat … wispring together.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 38, ¶ 8. He immediately runs into Secrets, and falls a whispering.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xlviii. Many ladies round about whispered and talked, and many gentlemen nodded and whispered.
b. trans. with adv. To bring by whispering.
1692. Dryden, Eleonora, 318. Her Soul was whisper’d out, with God’s still Voice.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxiv. Cary … returned, and whispered Amyas away.
2. trans. To say, tell, communicate, utter or express by whispering. (With simple obj. or obj. clause; often with the actual words uttered as obj.) See also 4 b.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 436. What did you whisper in your Ladies eare? Ibid. (1601), Jul. C., II. ii. 100. If Cæsar hide himselfe, shall they not whisper Loe Cæsar is affraid?
a. 1678. Marvell, Last Instr. Painter, 937. His Fathers Ghost too whisper’d him one Note, That who does cut his Purse will cut his Throat.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XII. 324. Rising Fears are whisper’d thro’ the Crowd.
1712. Mrs. Centlivre, Perplex’d Lovers, I. i. She … whispers out her words, least I shou’d hear her.
1827. Lytton, Pelham, viii. I took the opportunity … to approach Lady Roseville and whisper my adieus.
1891. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Lumley, iii. ‘What is it?’ he asked, in a loud whisper. ‘Gooseberry,’ she whispered back—‘come and sit here by me.’
b. intr. for passive. rare.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., iii. O Sorrow,… What whispers from thy lying lip?
3. With the person, etc., as obj.: To address in a whisper; (with following clause or inf.) to tell, inform, bid or ask in a whisper.
1540. Palsgr., Acolastus, I. i. D iij b. He hath whyspered the in the eare, or taught the thy lesson in a corner.
a. 1591. H. Smith, Serm., Satan’s Compass. (1592), 988. He will whisper the poore howe they shall come by riches.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. i. 4. Whisper her eare, and tell her I and Vrsula, Walke in the Orchard. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., IV. iv. 827. Ile … whisper him in your behalfes.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 946. He did first whisper the Man in the Eare, that such a Man should thinke such a Card.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 117, ¶ 5. He whispered me in the Ear to take notice of a Tabby Cat.
1758. Goldsm., Mem. Prot. (1895), I. 34. I whispered my Companion softly, that as the Night was very dark, we might give him the Slip.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scandal, IV. iii. Re-enter Servant and whispers Joseph Surface.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 35. By whispering the rein-deer in the ear, they know the place of their destination.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, viii. Miss Jane … whispered her sister to observe how jealous Mr. Cheggs was.
1898. Besant, Orange Girl, II. xxi. The Lord Mayor whispered the Judge again.
4. With special connotations. a. intr. To speak or converse quietly or secretly about something (usually implying hostility, malice, conspiracy, etc.); also (with negative) to speak ever so slightly, to say ‘the least thing’ about something.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, ii. (1570), B iv/1. That when other talke and speake what they will, Thou dare not whisper.
1539. Bible (Great), Ps. xli. 7. All myne enemyes whisper together agaynst me.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 108. His companyons whyspered and muttered ageynste hym.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 28 June. And ne’er a prince in France dare whisper against it.
1824. Mrs. Hofland, Patience, vii. 111–2. Mrs. Masterman, who knows much better than I do, whispers every where about your wife’s covetousness.
b. trans. To say, report, communicate or utter quietly, secretly or confidentially; also (with negative) to utter ever so slightly, to say the least word of. (With simple obj. or obj. clause; often in passive.)
1562. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 209. It is quhisperit and murmurrit that sum suld forgett thair devoyr.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. iv. 11. Leane-look’d Prophets whisper fearefull change.
1628. in Foster, Engl. Factories India (1909), III. 202. This newes was first wispered here the 19th November.
a. 1708. T. Ward, Eng. Ref., II. (1710), 38. This Matter whisper’d up and down, Was quickly spread thro’ all the Town.
1815. Scott, Guy M., lii. It is whispered about … that there is such a plan.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, lii. Somne vague rumour … which had been whispered abroad.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil, IV. xii. Whisper nothings that sound like something.
1887. Sir R. H. Roberts, In the Shires, xiv. 246. It was whispered that a man answering to his description was keeping a very lucrative gambling-house in San Francisco.
c. trans. with adv. or advb. phr. To bring into or out of something, or to take away, by secret (esp. malicious or slanderous) speech.
1631. Star Chamber Cases (Camden), 24. He is to be admonished … not to whisper away the fame and credit of Deputies and governors.
1783. Burke, Sp. Fox’s East India Bill, 99. They cannot be whispered out of their duty,… their public conduct cannot be censured without a public discussion.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, lviii. Are characters to be whispered away like this?
1872. Bushnell, Serm. Living Subj., xiii. 257. The great majority … are led, drawn, beckoned, whispered into their calling.
5. intr. (fig. from 1.) To make a soft rustling sound resembling or suggesting a whisper.
1653. Walton, Angler, ix. 185. There will the River wispering run.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, IV. 759. The Winds no longer whisper through the Woods.
1766. Gray, Kingsgate, 10. No tree is heard to whisper, bird to sing.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, xxxiv. The autumn wind whispered low among the branches,.
6. trans. (fig. from 2.) To suggest secretly to the mind; also, to express or communicate by a soft rustling sound (cf. 5).
1640. S. Harding, Sicily & Naples, III. i. 33. This day (There’s something whispers to me) will prove fatall.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 158. Gentle gales … dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmie spoiles.
1751. Gray, Spring, 8. Whisp’ring pleasure as they fly, Cool zephyrs … Their gather’d fragrance fling.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Old Margate hoy. The waves to him whispered more pleasant stories.
1837. Disraeli, Venetia, II. i. A strange sympathy which whispers convictions that no evidence can authorise.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 150. Truth is truth in each degree, Thunderpealed by God to Nature, whispered by my soul to me.
b. with the person, etc., as obj. (fig. from 3).
1605. Shaks., Macb., IV. iii. 210. Giue sorrow words; the griefe that do’s not speake, Whispers the o’re-fraught heart, and bids it breake.
1713. Addison, Cato, II. i. Something whispers me All is not right.
1761. A. Murphy, All in Wrong, I. 1. What devil whispered thee to marry such a woman?
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., II. 394. Adulation had whispered the king with such an opinion of his own ability.
1832. Disraeli, Cont. Fleming, v. Nature seemed to whisper me the folly of learning words instead of ideas.
1849. T. Woolner, My Beautiful Lady, Noon, iv. Western wind … Whisper deliciously the trembling flowers.
Hence (nonce-wds.) Whisperable a., that can be whispered; Whisperation, whispering.
1830. Blackw. Mag., XXVIII. 893. All speak—talk—whisper—or smile, of all the speakable, talkable, *whisperable, and smileable … affairs.
1710. C. Shadwell, Fair Quaker Deal, III. 37. Coxen. Ah—when the Captain and Purser whispers, our Guts ought to grumble. 6 Sailor. Ay, Coxen, those *Whisperations are many an Ounce of Butter and Cheese out of our Way.
