[f. as prec. + -ING2.]
1. That whispers; speaking in a whisper.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 125. With bated breath, and whispring humblenesse.
1716. Lady M. W. Montagu, Toilet, 46. Her Face may boast the Peach’s Bloom; But does her nearer whisp’ring Breath perfume?
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 14. The hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade, For talking age and whispering lovers made!
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer, xv. A dozen smiling and whispering girls.
b. Uttered in, or of the nature of, a whisper.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. v. 25. I … could tell A whispering tale in a faire Ladies eare.
1649. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wand. Wonders West, 19. I spake to him … in a low whispering voice.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 89. He held with them a long and whispering kind of conversation.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, xxxiv. In a low, whispering voice, rendered … faltering by their emotions.
2. Reporting something secretly or confidentially; esp. secretly slanderous, talebearing, backbiting.
1581. Munday (title), An Aduertisement and defence for Trueth against her Backbiters, and specially against the whispring Fauourers … of Campians.
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, II. ii. Wks. (1616), 378. Whispring fame Knowledge, and proofe doth to the iealous giue.
1800. Coleridge, Christabel, 409. Whispering tongues can poison truth.
3. Making a soft rustling sound like a whisper. Also said of the sound.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneis, II. 963. Eche whispring wind hath power now to fray … my doutfull mind.
1575. A. F., Virg. Bucol., vii. 20. Vnder the whispering hollye.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 250. There Ilissus rouls His whispering stream.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 121. The watch-dog’s voice that bayed the whispering wind.
1784. Cowper, Poplar-Field, 2. The whispering sound of the cool colonnade.
1795–1814. Wordsw., Excurs., IV. 1170. The whispering air Sends inspiration from the shadowy heights.
1847. Longf., Ev., I. iv. 137. She heard the whispering rain fall.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., c. Low morass and whispering reed.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer, xxiii. The sighing, whispering, sad-voiced water-oaks.
Hence Whisperingly adv., with a whispering voice or sound, in a whisper; † Whisperingness, whispering quality or character (in quot. in sense 2).
1580. in Liturgies Reign Q. Eliz. (Parker Soc., 1847), 572. Their speaking … is not softly and whisperingly.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. vii. (1912), 385. Bold onely in busie whisperings, and even in that whisperingnes rather indeed confident in his cunning, that it should not be bewraied.
a. 1603. T. Cartwright, Confut. Rhem. N. T. (1618), 247. A man is bound to discharge all his sinnes … whisperingly, or secretly into the eare of a Priest.
1747. Richardson, Clarissa (1748), I. 308. Thus she ran on,… but whisperingly, that my aunt might not hear her.
1872. Geo. Eliot, Middlem., xii. The pool … where the … trees leaned whisperingly.
1874. Lisle Carr, Jud. Gwynne, I. vi. 174. As the last words fell whisperingly from her lips.
1915. Kipling, New Army, ii. Squad after squad … gathered up their target cards, and whisperingly compared them.
