vt. & vi.低声说，耳语，嘀咕 speak softly, using only the breath, not the voice

　～ a few words　低声说几句
　～ affectionately　深情地低声说话
　～ audibly　出声地窃窃私语
　～ breathlessly　有气无力地低声说话
　～ brokenly　不完整地低声说话
　～ eagerly　热切地低声说话
　～ feverishly　高度兴奋地低语
　～ fiercely　狂暴地窃窃私语
　～ hoarsely　嗓音沙哑地低语
　～ impressively　令人感动地低语
　～ mysteriously　神秘地窃窃私语
　～ overtly　公开地流传
　～ passionately　热情地低语
　～ savagely　猛烈地低语
　～ urgently　急切地窃窃私语
　～ about　悄悄传播
　～ around　悄悄传播
　～ against sb　悄声说某人的坏话
　～ at〔in〕 sb's ear　凑到某人的耳边低声说话
　～ to　对…低声说话

　Did she whisper in your ear at the meeting?　开会时，她跟你私下交谈了吗?
　You'll have to whisper or he'll hear.　你得小点儿声说，否则他会听到的。
　She is whispering to her sister.　她正跟她姐姐窃窃私语。
　The wind was whispering in the pines.　风在松林中沙沙作响。
　She whispered a reply.　她低声地做了回答。
　She whispered a few words weakly before she fell down.　她虚弱地低声说了几句便昏倒了。
　The adventures have been whispered everywhere.　那些奇遇已经到处传开。
　He whispered that he had got a new job.　他低声说他已找到了新工作。
　It is whispered that he is heavily in debt.　据传闻他负债累累。
　It is whispered that the mayor is to resign.　市长要辞职的消息私下传开了。
　"Listen!"she whispered.　她悄声说：“听！”
　"How long am I going to stay?"she whispered anxiously.　她焦急地低声问道：“我要呆多长时间啊?”
　He whispered the news to me.　他私下告诉我这个消息。
　She is whispering a story to her daughter.　她低声地给女儿讲着故事。
　A little bird whispered it to me.　有人将这事秘密地告诉了我。
　She whispered to me that his temperature was up again.　她低声对我说他的体温又上升了。
　He whispered me that Ade had been arrested.　他小声地告诉我艾德已经被逮捕了。
　I whispered him not to make any noise.　我低声告诉他别出声。

 ♣ whisper about¹　(v.+adv.)
　悄悄传播　spread a story quietly round a place
　〔说明〕 whisper about常用于被动结构。
　The story is being whispered about.　这事正到处被人私下传说。
　It's being whispered about that Jim and Mary are to separate.　人们正在悄声议论说吉姆玛丽就要分手了。
 ♣ whisper about²　(v.+prep.)
　在…悄悄传播　spread a story quietly round a place
　〔说明〕 whisper about常用于被动结构。
　The news is being whispered about the neighbourhood.　这消息正在街坊间流传着。
　His ill luck has been whispered about the neighbourhood.　他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。

　他私下对邻居说：“我们去打猎吧。”
　［误］ He is whispering his neighbour, "let's go hunting."
　［正］ He is whispering to his neighbour, "let's go hunting."
　［析］ whisper可以用作及物动词，但其宾语应该是whisper的内容，而不是对象，当宾语是对象时，须加介词to.

1. C 低语，耳语，私语　 speech produced by whispering
2. C 传闻，谣言　 a piece of information passed secretly from one person to another
3. S 轻柔的飒飒风声　 a soft windy sound

　give sb the ～　对某人说悄悄话
　hear a ～　听人家私下说
　dark ～s　悲观的传闻
　stage ～　（表演中有意让观众听见的）舞台低语，低声旁白
　in a ～　低声地

　I heard a whisper that he had been admitted to a university.　我听传闻他已考入了大学。
　I've heard a whisper that he's going to resign.　我听到了一个传闻说他准备辞职。
　This fine engine makes only a whisper when running at full speed.　这部质量上乘的发动机全速运转时也只发出一点点沙沙声。

 ♣ in a whisper〔whispers〕
　轻声地，悄悄地　in speech produced by whispering
　He answered in a whisper.　他低声回答。
　She said it in a whisper, so I couldn't hear.　这是她悄声说的，所以我没有听清说的是什么。
　They were talking in whispers.　他们在说悄悄话。

　简和玛丽在低声聊天。
　［误］ Jane and Mary are chatting in whisper.
　［正］ Jane and Mary are chatting in a whisper.
　［正］ Jane and Mary are chatting in whispers.
　［析］ 表示“低声，耳语”时，应该说in a whisper或in whispers，而不能说 in whisper.

　［同义词］ v. murmur, mutter, speak softly n. rustle, undertone, murmur, mutter
　［词源］　中古英语whisperen<古英语hwisprian （耳语，私语）