hiss Hear it!

hiss Definition

hiss (his)

intransitive verb

  1. to make a sound like that of a prolonged s, as of a goose or snake when provoked or alarmed, or of escaping steam, air, etc.
  2. to show dislike or disapproval of by hissing

Etymology: ME hissen, of echoic orig.

transitive verb

  1. to say or indicate by hissing
  2. to show dislike or disapproval of by hissing
  3. to force or drive by hissing to hiss a performer off the stage

noun

the act or sound of hissing

hiss Related Forms

hisser noun

Hiss Definition

Hiss (his)

Hiss, Alger (aljər) 1904-96; U.S. public official: accused of espionage and convicted of perjury

hiss Synonyms

hiss

n.

buzz, sibilance, hissing, whisper; see noise 1.

hiss Synonyms

hiss

v.

  1. To make a hissing sound

    sibilate, fizz, seethe; see buzz, sound 1.

  2. To condemn

    boo, disapprove, shout down; see censure, ridicule.

hiss Usage Examples

Object

  • cockroach: Also a very good web page on hissing cockroaches.
  • snake: Lying in a tight coil at the edge of the chasm is a hissing snake.
  • noise: There were two gentle hissing noises coming out of both!
  • sound: At the same time a faint hissing sound became audible.
  • steam: A large brass boiler was sitting on a table, hissing steam.

Converse of object

  • boo: A few weeks later one balmy summer evening I'm riding along on me Harley ( boo hiss!
  • hear: By four we could hear the faint hiss of breakers on the shore.
  • remove: Removing hiss, clicks and pops, rumble, and pitched hum.
  • reduce: Dolby C works over a wider frequency range and reduces hiss by 15 to 18 dB.
  • have: Both tracks sound fine although the English has more hiss.

Adjective modifier

  • faint: By four we could hear the faint hiss of breakers on the shore.
  • slight: Audio-wise, the mono soundtrack had a slight hiss prevalent, but it's not too distracting as a whole.

Modifying Another Word

  • loudly: Then, flapping out of the doorway, six slimy green tentacles with snake heads emerged, hissing loudly.
  • back: It was great fun hissing him, but greater fn when he hissed back!
  • then: It went hiss then in a very low pitched voice that laughed ha ha ha ha ha!

Noun used with modifier

  • tape: A light continuos noise filter was used to take the edge off the tape hiss.
  • background: In the absence of a signal the radio being used to monitor will now return to the background hiss.

Used with why or when

when: The first pint didn't touch the sides but fizzled and hissed when it reached the dry sandy bottom of my belly.

Preposition: of

steam: There is a satisfying hiss of steam from the depths.

Followed by an intransitive particle

out: Guns being fired, tanks advance firing, battleships firing a broadside, gas hissing out of cylinders.

Browse dictionary entries near hiss

  1. hispid
  2. Hispano
  3. Hispanist
  4. Hispaniola
  5. Hispanic
  6. Hispania
  7. his/hers
  8. his/her
  9. his
  10. hirudin
  1. hissy fit
  2. hist
  3. hist-
  4. histaminase
  5. histamine
  6. histidine
  7. histiocyte
  8. histo-
  9. histochemistry
  10. histocompatibility