whispernoun/ˈ(h)wɪspə/

• 1

  The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords; the sound thus produced.

  • I spoke in a near whisper.
  • "Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible.
• 2

  A rumor.

  • There are whispers of rebellion all around.
  • Time can never mend / The careless whispers of a good friend
• 3

  A faint trace or hint (of something).

  • The soup had just a whisper of basil.
• 4

  A low rustling sound, like that of the wind in leaves.

• 5

  A private message to an individual in a chat room.

  • The invisibility of private interactions in the form of whispers resolved an ethical concern in the research but reduced our ability to gauge the volume of interaction […]
  • Anyone logged in to the chat room can click on an individual name, highlighting it, and send a message — a whisper — that will be seen only by the selected person.
• 6

  human-sciencesmysticismoccultA projection of intention and influence caused by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means.

  • "Witches feel that anyone who is against them has to be destroyed. The method is to give the victim what we call a whispering. It is similar to the aborigine ceremony in Australia of singing someone to death. The witches gather in a circle and focus their hate on the persons they have in mind. These vibrations from their minds and voices carry whispers to the one who they are working against."

whisperverb/ˈ(h)wɪspə/

• 1

  To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.

  • I can hear them whisper as we pass by It's a bad sign, bad sign
• 2

  To say (something) softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter (something) without sonant breath, without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.

  • Whether he whispered sweet nothings to her in Stengelese is not known, but he did call her "the best catch I ever made in my career."
• 3

  To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.

  • They might buzz and whisper it one to another.
• 4

  To make a low, sibilant sound.

  • the hollow, whispering breeze
  • […] hear thy laurel whisper sweet About the ledges of the hill.
• 5

  To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.

  • All that hate me whisper together against me.
• 6

  obsoleteTo address in a whisper, or low voice.

  • and whisper one another in the ear
  • where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed
• 7

  obsoleteTo prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.

  • He came to whisper Wolsey.
  • [A] simple youth whispered me that he was an Illuminé, and carried on an intercourse with the invisible world.
• 8

  To send a private message to an individual in a chat room.