英和和英

発音

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈ(h)wɪspə/
• (General American) IPA: /ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/
• 韻: -ɪspə(ɹ)

名詞

whisper (plural whispers)

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

   Alternative form: W (voice quality symbol)

   I spoke in a near whisper.

   • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

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

   • 2005 December 2, “Amarantine”, in Roma Ryan (lyrics), Enya (music), Amarantine, performed by Enya:

     You know love is everything you say / A whisper, a word / Promises you give

2. (usually in the plural) A rumor.

   There are whispers of rebellion all around.

   • 1984, George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley, “Careless Whisper”:

     Time can never mend / The careless whispers of a good friend

3. (figurative) 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. (Internet) A private message to an individual in a chat room.
   • 2002, Ralph Schroeder, The Social Life of Avatars, page 218:

     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 […]

   • 2004, Caroline A. Haythornthwaite, Michelle M. Kazmer, Learning, Culture and Community in Online Education, page 179:

     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. (occult) A projection of intention and influence caused by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means.
   • 1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 66:

     "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."

派生語

動詞

whisper (third-person singular simple present whispers, present participle whispering, simple past and past participle whispered)

1. (intransitive) 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.

   Synonym: breathe

   • 2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Ryan Tedder, “I Know Places (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version)‎, performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:

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

2. (transitive) 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.

   Synonym: breathe

   • 1981 April 15, Ira Berkow, “DRAMA IN 'STENGELESE: YOU CAN LOOK IT UP”, in The New York Times‎:

     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. (transitive) To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.
   • 1692, Richard Bentley, [A Confutation of Atheism] (please specify the sermon), London: [Thomas Parkhurst; Henry Mortlock], published 1692–1693:

     They might buzz and whisper it one to another.

4. (intransitive) To make a low, sibilant sound.
   • a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC:

     the hollow, whispering breeze

   • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 57:

     […] hear thy laurel whisper sweet
     About the ledges of the hill.

5. (intransitive) To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 41:7:

     All that hate me whisper together against me.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.
   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     and whisper one another in the ear

   • 1827, [John Keble], The Christian Year: Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holydays throughout the Year, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [B]y W. Baxter, for J. Parker; and C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC:

     where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed

7. (transitive, obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.
   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     He came to whisper Wolsey.

   • 1816, [Walter Scott], chapter XIII, in The Antiquary. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 289:

     [A] simple youth whispered me that he was an Illuminé, and carried on an intercourse with the invisible world.

8. (Internet) To send a private message to an individual in a chat room.
9. To exercise skill in taming or training a creature.
10. (occult) To project intention and influence events by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means; to subject someone or something to this influence.
    • 1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 66:

      "Witches feel that anyone who is against them has to be destroyed. The method is to give the victim what we call a whispering. [...] The most frightening this is to be whispered when you're driving a car - it's nerve-racking."

派生語

• whisper down the lane
• whisperer