different between whisper vs whine

English

Etymology

From Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian (“to mutter, murmur, whisper”), fromProto-Germanic *hwispr?n? (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”), from Proto-Indo-European *?weys-, *?wey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Dutch wisperen (“to whisper”), German Low German wispeln (“to whisper”), German wispern (“to mumble, whisper”). Related also to Danish hviske (“to whisper”), Swedish viska (“to whisper”), Norwegian hviske (“to whisper”), Icelandic hvískra and hvísla (“to whisper”). More at English whistle.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?(h)w?sp?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?(h)w?sp?/
• Rhymes: -?sp?(?)

Noun

whisper (plural whispers)

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

   I spoke in a near whisper

   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island:

     "Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible.
2. (usually in the plural) A rumor.

   There are whispers of rebellion all around.

3. (figuratively) 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.

Derived terms

• stage whisper
• whisper campaign
• whisperous
• whispersome
• whispery

Translations

Verb

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

1. (intransitive) To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.
2. (transitive) To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.
   • 1692, Richard Bentley, A Confutation of Atheism

     They might buzz and whisper it one to another.

3. (intransitive) To make a low, sibilant sound.

   • the hollow, whispering breeze

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

   • All that hate me whisper together against me.

5. (transitive, obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.

   • where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed

6. (transitive, obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.

Derived terms

• whisperer

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English whynen, hwinen, whinen, from Old English hw?nan (“to rush, to whizz, to squeal, to whine”), from Proto-West Germanic *hw?nan, from Proto-Germanic *hw?nan?, from Proto-Indo-European *?wey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Old Norse hvína, whence Icelandic hvína, Norwegian hvine, Swedish vina, and Danish hvine.

Despite the strong similarity in sound and meaning, not related with German weinen, Dutch wenen, from Proto-Germanic *wain?n?.

Pronunciation

• enPR: w?n, IPA^(key): /wa?n/, [?a??n], [????n], [?ä?n], [??e?n]
• (without the wine–whine merger) enPR: hw?n, IPA^(key): /?a?n/
• Rhymes: -a?n
• Homophone: wine (accents with the wine-whine merger)

Noun

whine (plural whines)

1. A long-drawn, high-pitched complaining cry or sound.
2. A complaint or criticism.

Translations

Verb

whine (third-person singular simple present whines, present participle whining, simple past and past participle whined)

1. (intransitive) To utter a high-pitched cry.
2. (intransitive) To make a sound resembling such a cry.

   The jet engines whined at take off.

3. (intransitive) To complain or protest with a whine or as if with a whine.
4. (intransitive) To move with a whining sound.

5. (transitive) To utter with the sound of a whine.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:complain

Translations

Middle English

Verb

whine

1. Alternative form of whynen