v. Obs. rare. [a. OF. susurrer, or its source L. susurrāre, f. susurrus: see below.] intr. To whisper.
1529. W. Knighte, Lett. to Wolsey (MS. Cott. Vit. B. xi. 13). The Cesarians that susurred dayli in the popes ear sumtyme avising, sumtyme thretenyng the pope.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., X. 400. Tho, to thetherial welkin, he susurrd.
So Susurrant a., whispering, softly murmuring; also irreg. Susurrent a., whence Susurrence = SUSURRUS; † Susurrate v. Obs. rare–0, to whisper (Cockeram, 1623); Susurring vbl. sb., whispering; Susurringly adv., in a whisper.
1791. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., I. 162. With soft *susurrant voice.
1837. Montgomery, Pelican Isl., I. 99. Sweet accordance of susurrant sounds.
1891. T. T. Greg, in Temple Bar Mag., July, 363.
| Where the sails of countless windmills rolling round and round and round, | |
| Give a soft susurrant echo of a swishing swirling sound. |
1909. Reginald Farrer, in Athenæum, 24 April, 491/3. The dim *susurrence of cicalas in the trees.
1857. A. De Vere, in Fraser’s Mag., LVI. 548. The respirations of a southern sea Beat with *susurrent cadence.
1826. Blackw. Mag., XX. 9. The silence of the twilight is cheered by a soft *susurring, that whispers innocence and joy. Ibid. (1830), XXVII. 267. We answer *susurringly.
