Hiss

/hɪs/ · noun

Meaning

A sibilant sound, such as that made by a snake or escaping steam; an unvoiced fricative..

Definitions by Sense

1. A sibilant sound, such as that made by a snake or escaping steam; an unvoiced fricative.
2. An expression of disapproval made using such a sound.
3. (intransitive) To make a hiss, a sibilant sound of air escaping.
4. (transitive) To call someone by hissing.
5. (transitive, intransitive) To condemn or express contempt (for someone or something) by hissing.
6. (transitive) To utter (something) with a hissing sound.
7. (intransitive) To move with a hissing sound.
8. (transitive) To emit or eject (something) with a hissing sound.

Example Sentences

Their music frightful as the serpent’s hiss, And boding screech-owls make the concert full!

[…] over head the dismal hiss Of fiery Darts in flaming volies flew,

A hundred Reeds, of a prodigious Growth, Scarce made a Pipe, proportion’d to his Mouth: Which, when he gave it Wind, the Rocks around, And watry Plains, the dreadful Hiss resound.

[…] his form was soon covered over by the twilight as his footsteps mixed in with the low hiss of the leafy trees.

Her voice was a hiss, like gas escaping from a bottle of soda.

1716, Joseph Addison, The Free-Holder, 16 April, 1716, London: D. Midwinter and J. Tonson, pp. 203-204, The Actors, in the midst of an innocent old Play, are often startled with unexpected Claps or Hisses; and do not know whether they have been talking like good Subjects, or have spoken Treason.

[…] in open disputations ye haue bene openly conuict, ye haue bene openly driuen out of the schole with hisses […]

Once or twice she was encored five and six times in succession, and received with hisses when she appeared, and discharged with hisses and laughter when she had finished—then instantly encored and insulted again!

Synonyms for hiss

Antonyms for hiss

Related Words

Word Forms

• hisses
• hissing
• hissed

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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