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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Whisper: Meaning, Examples, and Common Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：speak quietly (whisper)

whisper 🔊

/ˈwɪspər/

n./v.

to speak very quietly, using your breath instead of your voice, so that only people very close can hear you.

Whisper meaning: girl whispering into boy's ear on park bench

speak quietly 🔊

➕

/spiːk ˈkwaɪətli/

n./v.

To speak in a very low voice, using breath rather than vocal cords, so that only the intended listener can hear.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English hwisprian, imitative of a soft sound; related to 'whistle'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a whisper as a 'wish' spoken softly to a 'per' (person) – only they hear your wish.

📖 Example

In the library, she had to whisper to her friend so as not to disturb others who were reading. 🔊 In the library, she had to whisper to her friend so as not to disturb others who were reading.

🔗 Collocations

whisper a secret – to tell a secret in a quiet voice

whisper in someone's ear – to speak softly directly into a person's ear

whisper sweet nothings – to say romantic things in a soft voice

🔄 Synonyms

murmur (v.) – to speak softly and indistinctly, often continuous

mutter (v.) – to speak in a low voice, often expressing discontent

mumble (v.) – to speak unclearly with closed lips

🚫 Antonyms

shout (v.) – to speak very loudly

yell (v.) – to cry out loudly, often in excitement or anger

scream (v.) – to make a very loud, high-pitched cry

🌱 Derivatives

whispered (adj.) – spoken in a whisper

whispering (n.) – the act of speaking in a whisper

whisperer (n.) – a person who whispers or is skilled at whispering

📖 Cultural Story

In medieval courts, whispering was associated with conspiracy and secret plots. The word itself is onomatopoeic, mimicking a soft, sibilant sound.

Meaning 2：rumor (whisper)

whisper 🔊

/ˈwɪspər/

n./v.

a piece of information or a story that people tell each other quietly, which may or may not be true.

rumor 🔊

➕

/ˈruːmər/

n./v.

A piece of information or story that is spread privately among people, often without confirmation of its truth.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

There's a whisper going around the office that our manager might be getting a promotion soon. 🔊 There's a whisper going around the office that our manager might be getting a promotion soon.

🔗 Collocations

a whisper campaign – a planned effort to spread rumors to damage someone's reputation

whisper network – an informal communication system among a group to share sensitive information

a whisper of doubt – a slight hint of uncertainty

🔄 Synonyms

rumor (n.) – a piece of unverified information spread by word of mouth

gossip (n.) – casual talk about other people's personal affairs, often unsubstantiated

hearsay (n.) – information received from others that cannot be substantiated

🚫 Antonyms

fact (n.) – a piece of information that is true and verified

truth (n.) – the quality of being true or accurate

certainty (n.) – a firm belief that something is true

🌱 Derivatives

whispered (adj.) – spoken in a whisper

whispering (n.) – the act of speaking in a whisper

whisperer (n.) – a person who whispers or is skilled at whispering