hush

[ huhsh ]

interjection

1. (used as a command to be silent or quiet.)

verb (used without object)

1. to become or be silent or quiet:

   They hushed as the judge walked in.

verb (used with object)

1. to make silent; silence.
2. to suppress mention of; keep concealed (often followed by up ):

   They hushed up the scandal.

3. to calm, quiet, or allay:

   to hush someone's fears.

noun

1. silence or quiet, especially after noise.

   Synonyms: tranquility, stillness, peace

2. Phonetics. either of the sibilant sounds (sh) and (zh).

adjective

1. Archaic. silent; quiet.

hush

¹

/ hʌʃ /

verb

1. to make or become silent; quieten
2. to soothe or be soothed

noun

1. stillness; silence
2. an act of hushing

interjection

1. a plea or demand for silence

hush

²

/ hʌʃ /

verb

1. to run water over the ground to erode (surface soil), revealing the underlying strata and any valuable minerals present
2. to wash (an ore) by removing particles of earth with rushing water

noun

1. a gush of water, esp when artificially produced

Derived Forms

• hushed, adjective

Other Words From

• hush·ed·ly [huhsh, -id-lee, huhsht, -lee], adverb
• hushful adjective
• hushful·ly adverb
• un·hushing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hush¹

1350–1400; apparently back formation from husht whist ² ( Middle English huissht ), the -t being taken for past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of hush¹

C16: probably from earlier husht quiet!, the -t being thought to indicate a past participle

Origin of hush²

C18: of imitative origin

Synonym Study

See still ¹.

Example Sentences

Trump had been scheduled to be sentenced next week, on Nov. 26, for a conviction on 34 felony counts relating to falsified business records concerning hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

From Salon

The room was hushed as she responded calmly that when she had first gone into the court in Avignon her children were ashamed of the name, but that her grandchildren were still called Pelicot.

From BBC

Red Lobster is also bringing back its hush puppies, which hasn’t been on the restaurant’s menu for several years.

From Salon

After two drives, Maiava was a meager two for seven with a crushing pick-six — concerning enough to hush a Coliseum crowd that hoped he might be the answer to what ailed USC’s offense.

From Los Angeles Times

He arrived on scene at 09:30 GMT but it was a further five hours before a hushed murmur rippled through the crowd, signalling the bird had become visible.

From BBC

Related Words

• stillness