shush
shush Lexical Profile
shush Game Scores & Validity
• interjection
Used as a command to demand or request immediate silence or quietness.
"Shush! The baby has finally fallen asleep in the next room."
• verb
To tell or signal someone to be quiet, especially by making a soft 'sh' sound.
"The audience member politely shushed the people chatting behind him as the theater lights dimmed."
To become quiet or stop talking.
"If you shush for a moment, you can hear the owl calling in the woods."
To make a soft, rustling, or sibilant sound (of water, wind, or fabric).
"The small waves shushed gently against the sandy shore all afternoon."
• noun
A sibilant utterance or gesture made to tell someone to be quiet.
"With a quick shush and a finger pressed to her lips, the librarian reminded the students to lower their voices."
• Rhymes for shush
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 20th century as an onomatopoeic formation imitating the sibilant sound 'sh' made to demand silence, likely influenced by 'hush'.