Gossip vs Whisper - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between gossip and whisper

is that gossip is someone who likes to talk about someone else’s private or personal business while whisper is the act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially, without vibration of the vocal cords.

As verbs the difference between gossip and whisper

is that gossip is to talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a way that spreads the information while whisper is to speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.

gossip

English

(wikipedia gossip)

Noun

(en noun)

Someone who likes to talk about someone else’s private or personal business.

Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially someone not present.

*:"I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a little—just a very little bit too much festivity so far …. Not that I don't adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places."

A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.

*:Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence. She devoured with more avidity than she had her food those pretentiously phrased chronicles of the snobocracydistilling therefrom an acid envy that robbed her napoleon of all its savour.

(lb) A sponsor; a godfather or godmother.

*(John Selden) (1584-1654)

*:Should a great lady that was invited to be a gossip , in her place send her kitchen maid, 'twould be ill taken.

Synonyms

* scuttle-butt * See also

Verb

To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a way that spreads the information.

To talk idly.

Synonyms

* (sense, talk about someone else's private or personal business) blab, talk out of turn, tell tales out of school

References

* ----

whisper

English

Noun

(Whispering) (en noun)

The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially, without vibration of the vocal cords.

* 1883 , :

"Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper , that was no more than audible.

(usually in plural) A rumor.

There are whispers of rebellion all around.

(figurative) A faint trace or hint (of something).

The soup had just a whisper of basil.

(internet) A private message to an individual in a chat room.

* 2002 , Ralph Schroeder, The Social Life of Avatars (page 218)

The invisibility of private interactions in the form of whispers resolved an ethical concern in the research but reduced our ability to gauge the volume of interaction

* 2004 , Caroline A. Haythornthwaite, Michelle M. Kazmer, Learning, Culture and Community in Online Education (page 179)

Anyone logged in to the chat room can click on an individual name, highlighting it, and send a message — a whisper — that will be seen only by the selected person.

Derived terms

* stage whisper * whisper campaign

Verb

(en verb)

To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.

To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.

* Bentley

They might buzz and whisper it one to another.

To make a low, sibilant sound.

* Thomson

the hollow, whispering breeze

To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.

* Bible, Psalms xli. 7

All that hate me whisper together against me.

(obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.

* Shakespeare

and whisper one another in the ear

* Keble

where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed

(obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.

* Shakespeare

He came to whisper Wolsey.