Murmured vs Whisper - What's the difference?
murmured | whisper |
(murmur)
(countable) Low or indistinct sounds or speech.
* 1874 , (Marcus Clarke), (For the Term of His Natural Life) , chapter V:
* 1960 , , (Jeeves in the Offing) , chapter XI:
(medicine) The sound made by any condition which produces noisy, or turbulent, flow of blood through the heart.
A muttered complaint or protest; the expression of dissatisfaction in a low muttering voice; any expression of complaint or discontent
* 1919 , :
* 1960 , , (Jeeves in the Offing) , chapter XX:
* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , (w) VI:
(label) To speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to mumble, mutter.
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
, chapter=7, title= (label) To say (something) indistinctly, to mutter.
* (William Shakespeare), 1 , II. 3.51
The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially, without vibration of the vocal cords.
* 1883 , :
(usually in plural) A rumor.
(figurative) A faint trace or hint (of something).
(internet) A private message to an individual in a chat room.
* 2002 , Ralph Schroeder, The Social Life of Avatars (page 218)
* 2004 , Caroline A. Haythornthwaite, Michelle M. Kazmer, Learning, Culture and Community in Online Education (page 179)
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
To make a low, sibilant sound.
* Thomson
To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.
* Bible, Psalms xli. 7
(obsolete) To address in a whisper, or low voice.
* Shakespeare
* Keble
(obsolete) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.
* Shakespeare
As verbs the difference between murmured and whisper
is that murmured is past tense of murmur 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.As a noun whisper is
the act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially, without vibration of the vocal cords.murmured
English
Verb
(head)murmur
English
Noun
(en noun)- In the prison of the 'tween decks reigned a darkness pregnant with murmurs . The sentry at the entrance to the hatchway was supposed to "prevent the prisoners from making a noise," but he put a very liberal interpretation upon the clause, and so long as the prisoners refrained from shouting, yelling, and fighting--eccentricities in which they sometimes indulged--he did not disturb them.
- A murmur arose from the audience.
- The moment had come for the honeyed word. I lowered my voice to a confidential murmur , but on her inquiring if I had laryngitis raised it again.
- In fear of disease and in the interest of his health man will be muzzled and masked like a vicious dog, and that without any murmur of complaint.
- Glossop will return from his afternoon off to find the awful majesty of the Law waiting for him, complete with handcuffs. We can hardly expect him to accept an exemplary sentence without a murmur , so his first move will be to establish his innocence by revealing all.
Verb
(en verb)- The iewes murmured att itt, because he sayde: I am thatt breed which is come doune from heven.
A Cuckoo in the Nest, passage=“Oh yes,” he murmured in a tone of obligatory surprise, as he proceeded to make the kind of 2 which he attributed to Margaret's style of chirography.}}
- Iheard thee murmur tales of iron wars.
Derived terms
* murmuration * murmurer * murmuring * murmurless * murmurousSynonyms
* See asloExternal links
* (heart murmur)whisper
English
Noun
(Whispering) (en noun)- "Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," he said, in a steady whisper , that was no more than audible.
- There are whispers of rebellion all around.
- The soup had just a whisper of basil.
- 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
- 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 campaignVerb
(en verb)- They might buzz and whisper it one to another.
- the hollow, whispering breeze
- All that hate me whisper together against me.
- and whisper one another in the ear
- where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed
- He came to whisper Wolsey.
