whisper

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A low, soft, sibilant voice or utterance, which can be heard only by those near at hand; voice or utterance that employs only breath sound without tone, friction against the edges of the vocal cords and arytenoid cartilages taking the place of the vibration of the cords that produces tone; sometimes, in a limited sense, the sound produced by such friction as distinguished from breath sound made by friction against parts of the mouth. See Voice, n., 2, and Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 5, 153, 154. [ 1913 Webster ]

The inward voice or whisper can not give a tone. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Soft whispers through the assembly went. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A cautious or timorous speech. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something communicated in secret or by whispering; a suggestion or insinuation. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A low, sibilant sound. “The whispers of the leaves.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To utter in a low and nonvocal tone; to say under the breath; hence, to mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper. [ 1913 Webster ]

They might buzz and whisper it one to another. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To address in a whisper, or low voice. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And whisper one another in the ear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately. [ Obs. ] “He came to whisper Wolsey.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. One who whispers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A tattler; one who tells secrets; a conveyer of intelligence secretly; hence; a backbiter; one who slanders secretly. Prov. xvi. 28. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Whisper. v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whispering gallery, or
Whispering dome, one of such a form that sounds produced in certain parts of it are concentrated by reflection from the walls to another part, so that whispers or feeble sounds are audible at a much greater distance than under ordinary circumstances. The dome of the U. S. capitol building is one example. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

adv. In a whisper, or low voice; in a whispering manner; with whispers. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]