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Whisper vs Wheeze - What's the difference?

whisper | wheeze |

As nouns the difference between whisper and wheeze

is that whisper is the act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially, without vibration of the vocal cords while wheeze is a piping or whistling sound caused by difficult respiration.

As verbs the difference between whisper and wheeze

is that whisper is to talk in a quiet voice while wheeze is to breathe hard, and with an audible piping or whistling sound, as persons affected with asthma.

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.

    wheeze

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A piping or whistling sound caused by difficult respiration.
  • An ordinary whisper exaggerated so as to produce the hoarse sound known as the "stage whisper"; a forcible whisper with some admixture of tone.
  • (British, slang) An ulterior scheme or plan
  • * 2011 " Road rage; High petrol prices hurt, but will not throttle the economy", The Economist 19 November 2011:
    • The main point of fuel duty, though, is as a fiscal wheeze : it made up 5% of the tax take in 2010.
  • (slang) Something very humorous or laughable.
    • The new comedy is a wheeze .
    You think you're going to win? That's a real wheeze !

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

  • To breathe hard, and with an audible piping or whistling sound, as persons affected with asthma.
  • * 2001 , (Fourth Estate, paperback edition, 443)
    • If the air smelled even faintly of dog, Lionel coughed, wheezed and sneezed.