whiz

or whizz

[hwiz, wiz]

verb (used without object), whizzed, whiz·zing.

to make a humming, buzzing, or hissing sound, as an object passing swiftly through the air.

to move or rush with such a sound: The angry hornets whizzed by in a cloud.

verb (used with object), whizzed, whiz·zing.

to cause to whiz.

to treat with a whizzer.

noun

Informal. a person who is quite good at a particular activity, in a certain field, etc.: She's a whiz at math.

the sound of a whizzing object.

a swift movement producing such a sound.

Origin of whiz

1540–50; imitative; cf. fizz

Related formswhiz·zing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for whizz

Historical Examples of whizz

He didn't need any whizz plane then to beat the Curtiss record.
Torchy
Sewell Ford
We hear it whistle past our ears, we feel it whizz over our helmets.
Current History, A Monthly Magazine
New York Times
A mile was covered, and they were just passing a clump of bushes when whizz!
The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview
Ralph Bonehill
He rose up again, and there was a whizz and a crack that startled me.
Bunyip Land
George Manville Fenn
Let us step into it, then, and whizz round to Captain Morrison's house.
Cleek, the Master Detective
Thomas W. Hanshew

British Dictionary definitions for whizz

whizz

whiz

verb whizzes, whizzing or whizzed

to make or cause to make a loud humming or buzzing sound

to move or cause to move with such a sound

(intr) informal to move or go rapidly

noun

a loud humming or buzzing sound

informal a person who is extremely skilful at some activity

a slang word for amphetamine

take a whizz US informal to urinate

Word Origin for whizz

C16: of imitative origin

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

Word Origin and History for whizz

"make or move with a humming, hissing sound," 1540s, of imitative origin. Meaning "to urinate" is from 1929. Related: Whizzed; whizzing. The noun is recorded from 1610s.

whiz

"clever person," 1914, probably a special use of whiz "something remarkable" (1908), an extended sense of whizz; or perhaps a shortened form of wizard. Noun phrase whiz kid is from 1930s, a take-off on a radio show's quiz kid.