whiz

or whizz

[ hwiz, wiz ]

/ ʰwɪz, wɪz /

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.

Nearby words

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

With a whizz and a buzz the auto darted across the store, bringing up with a bang against the low part of the opposite counter.
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue Keeping Store|Laura Lee Hope
Ralph turned The Whizz into a rear entrance, used only by delivery autos, and in that way reached the garage.
Bobs, a Girl Detective|Grace May North
But one night, when the bird was singing its best by the emperor's bedside, something inside the toy went 'whizz.'
Edmund Dulac's Picture-Book for the French Red Cross|Edmund Dulac
Is it roused by the little messengers of death that whizz invisibly by?
"Contemptible"|"Casualty"

There was a whizz as the rubber tires struck the wooden planking of the bridge.
The Motor Boys|Clarence Young

British Dictionary definitions for whizz

whizz

whiz

/ (wɪz) /

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

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.