whisht

[ hwist, wist, hwisht, wisht ]

/ ʰwɪst, wɪst, ʰwɪʃt, wɪʃt /

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interjection, adjective, noun, verb (used with or without object)

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

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Origin of whisht

1510–20; ultimately imitative; compare Old English hwiscettung squeaking (said of mice)

Words nearby whisht

whirlwind, whirly, whirlybird, whirry, whish, whisht, whisk, whisk broom, whisker, whiskered, whiskery

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use whisht in a sentence

Whisht, 'uman, he's come around the new cojutor and got a job.
My New Curate|P.A. Sheehan
I zee somethin' white in the beak o' the fowl, so I giv' a "Whisht," an' 'e drops it smart, an' off 'e go.
A Bit O' Love (Fourth Series Plays)|John Galsworthy
This, as he followed his master towards the cabins: 'Whisht here, Misther Robert,' lowering his tone confidentially.'
Cedar Creek|Elizabeth Hely Walshe
I knowed wan that cud play th' "Wacht am Rhine" on a pair iv cymbals,' he says, 'Whisht!'
Mr. Dooley: In the Hearts of His Countrymen|Finley Peter Dunne

Tattine stood aghast, but Patrick's "whisht" kept her still for a moment, while the cat made its way along one of the branches.
Tattine|Ruth Ogden

British Dictionary definitions for whisht

whisht

whist (hwist)

/ (hwiʃt) Scot /

interjection

hush! be quiet!

adjective

silent or still

verb

to make or become silent

Word Origin for whisht

C14: compare hist; also obsolete v. whist to become silent

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012