hush

[huhsh]

interjection

1. (used as a command to be silent or quiet.)

verb (used without object)

1. to become or be silent or quiet.

   They hushed as the judge walked in.

verb (used with object)

1. to make silent; silence.

2. to suppress mention of; keep concealed (often followed byup ).

   They hushed up the scandal.

3. to calm, quiet, or allay.

   to hush someone's fears.

noun

1. silence or quiet, especially after noise.

   Synonyms: tranquility, stillness, peace

2. Phonetics.,  either of the sibilant sounds (sh) and (zh).

adjective

1. Archaic.,  silent; quiet.

hush

¹

/ hʌʃ /

verb

1. to make or become silent; quieten

2. to soothe or be soothed

noun

1. stillness; silence

2. an act of hushing

interjection

1. a plea or demand for silence

hush

²

/ hʌʃ /

verb

1. to run water over the ground to erode (surface soil), revealing the underlying strata and any valuable minerals present

2. to wash (an ore) by removing particles of earth with rushing water

noun

1. a gush of water, esp when artificially produced

Other Word Forms

• hushedly adverb
• hushful adjective
• hushfully adverb
• unhushing adjective
• hushed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hush¹

1350–1400; apparently back formation from husht whist ² ( Middle English huissht ), the -t being taken for past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of hush¹

C16: probably from earlier husht quiet!, the -t being thought to indicate a past participle

Origin of hush²

C18: of imitative origin

Synonym Study

See still ¹.

Example Sentences

Grief, too, steers us, a cleansing ritual, as I recall each time my wife and I meander beneath Green-Wood’s leafy canopy, parakeets swooping and chattering overhead, or sit quietly in its hushed chapel.

From Los Angeles Times

We share our horror in hushed tones with like-minded friends or find momentary solidarity in a columnist’s outrage, but mostly we’re left to process these events on our own.

From Salon

With all eyes fixed upon him, a hush of expectation was replaced by rhythmic applause upon Duplantis' request as he prepared for his final attempt.

From BBC

But I hadn’t noticed how one plate sang while another spoke in hushed tones.

From Salon

The resultant album, “Nebraska,” is one of the ’80s most hushed accomplishments and it took an actor of White’s confidence to make that inward journey compelling.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• stillness