wheeze

American  

[hweez, weez] / ʰwiz, wiz /

verb (used without object)

wheezed, wheezing

1. to breathe with difficulty and with a whistling sound.

   Asthma caused him to wheeze.

2. to make a sound resembling difficult breathing.

   The old locomotive wheezed into the station.

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noun

1. a wheezing breath or sound.

2. an old and frequently used joke, saying, story, etc.

wheeze British  

/ wiːz /

verb

1. to breathe or utter (something) with a rasping or whistling sound

2. (intr) to make or move with a noise suggestive of wheezy breathing

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noun

1. a husky, rasping, or whistling sound or breathing

2. slang a trick, idea, or plan (esp in the phrase good wheeze )

3. informal a hackneyed joke or anecdote

Other Word Forms

• wheezer noun
• wheezily adverb
• wheeziness noun
• wheezingly adverb
• wheezy adjective

Etymology

Origin of wheeze

1425–75; late Middle English whese (v.), probably < Old Norse hvæsa to hiss

Example Sentences

At five months old this is Oscar's first winter and his first trip to A&E. His mum brought him in because he was wheezing and struggling to breathe.

From BBC

It’s like the quarterback and homecoming queen losing a popularity contest to a wheezing weirdo.

From The Wall Street Journal

A snuffling, wheezing sound came from the corner.

From Literature

Her long, tragic sigh was like the final wheezing note played on the last accordion in all the world, moments before accordions became extinct.

From Literature

It's no mean feat, albeit both were a damp squib with Scotland wheezing their way to an early exit on each occasion without really landing a punch on, well, anyone.

From BBC

Related Words

• cough
• gasp
• hiss
• puff
• snore