Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense hisses, present participle hissing, past tense, past participle hissed
1. verb
To hiss means to make a sound like a long 's'.
The tires of Lenny's bike hissed over the wet pavement as he slowed down. [VERB preposition]
My cat hissed when I stepped on its tail. [VERB]
Caporelli made a small hissing sound of irritation. [VERB-ing]
Hiss is also a noun.
...the hiss of water running into the burnt pan.
The song has been digitally remastered with all the hisses and mistakes polishedaway.
hissinguncountable noun
...a silence broken only by a steady hissing from above my head.
2. verb
If you hiss something, you say it forcefully in a whisper.
'Now, quiet,' my mother hissed. [VERB with quote]
'Stay here,' I hissed at her. [V + at/to]
3. verb
If people hissat someone such as a performer or a person making a speech, they express their disapproval or dislike of that person by making long loud 's' sounds.
One had to listen hard to catch the words of the President's speech as the delegatesbooed and hissed. [VERB]
Some local residents whistled and hissed at them as they entered. [VERB + at]
[Also VERB noun]
Hiss is also a noun.
After a moment the barracking began. First came hisses, then shouts.
More Synonyms of hiss
hiss in British English
(hɪs)
noun
1.
a voiceless fricative sound like that of a prolonged s
2.
such a sound uttered as an exclamation of derision, contempt, etc, esp by an audience or crowd
3. electronics
receiver noise with a continuous spectrum, caused by thermal agitation, shot noise, etc
exclamation
4.
an exclamation of derision or disapproval
verb
5. (intransitive)
to produce or utter a hiss
6. (transitive)
to express with a hiss, usually to indicate derision or anger
7. (transitive)
to show derision or anger towards (a speaker, performer, etc) by hissing
Derived forms
hisser (ˈhisser)
noun
Word origin
C14: of imitative origin
Hiss in British English
(hɪs)
noun
Alger. 1904–96, US government official: imprisoned (1950–54) for perjury in connection with alleged espionage activities
Hiss in American English
(hɪs)
ˈAlger (ˈældʒər) 1904-96; U.S. public official: accused of espionage and convicted of perjury
hiss in American English
(hɪs)
verb intransitive
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
verb transitive
3.
to say or indicate by hissing
4.
to show dislike or disapproval of by hissing
5.
to force or drive by hissing
to hiss a performer off the stage
noun
6.
the act or sound of hissing
Derived forms
hisser (ˈhisser)
noun
Word origin
ME hissen, of echoic orig.
Examples of 'hiss' in a sentence
hiss
In the stillness of this beautiful place, it takes little to imagine the hiss of steam and the clattering of motion once more.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It all takes on a strangely peaceful air as the sun sets and the shadows lengthen, with the only sound the scratchy hiss of crickets.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is the boo, hiss, dismiss culture.
The Sun (2016)
It's the snarling turbines, the hiss of steam and clutter of coal trucks and tram tracks that bring out the inner geek in me.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is a faint hissing sound and a burning smell.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They will also growl and make hissing noises to signal that they are about to defend themselves.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It reportedly hissed like a snake and barked like a dog.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The studio audience is encouraged to boo and hiss at these insults.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The bare platform and hissing steam are no more.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Others on the deck reported hearing a hiss as a surge of gas shot up the drilling pipe.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The first gives a meaningless list of numbers, or a hiss of deafening sound.
Michael Boulter EXTINCTION: Evolution and the End of Man (2002)
Your face would be glowing, and the noises of hissing and steam escaping.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He was booed, hissed and publicly spat at.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You could have steam erratically hissing from its base, like a rocket about to take off.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We lay there in the sudden quiet, listening to a hissing noise.
Patrick Bishop FIGHTER BOYS: Saving Britain 1940 (2003)
Their father is still feeding them, and they make a curious hissing noise when he arrives.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The noise cancellation also works well, although it adds hiss that can sound intrusive in quieter surroundings.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I could almost hear the radio audience hissing.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I can hear the distant hiss of steam on stone.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The hiss of a snake.
Kerr, Katharine A Time of War (1993)
While zealots on both sides of the global warming argument hiss and spit, you worry about the stuff you can change.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Through my open window I heard him hiss.
Aidan Hartley THE ZANZIBAR CHEST: A Memoir of Love and War (2003)
They were reasonably close and I heard a hiss which meant one had flown just past me.
The Sun (2011)
We can't have feral cats hissing at MPs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So not boo, hiss, pay up as in your good selves making a donation to me.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No quarter is given and there's lots of booing and hissing from the audience who've come to see a circus as much as a dance competition.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
hiss
British English: hiss VERB
To hiss means to make a sound like a long 's'.
The tyres of his bike hissed over the wet pavement as he slowed down.
American English: hiss
Brazilian Portuguese: sibilar
Chinese: 发嘶嘶声
European Spanish: silbar
French: siffler
German: zischen
Italian: sibilare
Japanese: シューという音を出す
Korean: 쉬이 하는 소리를 내다
European Portuguese: sibilar
Latin American Spanish: silbar
Chinese translation of 'hiss'
hiss
(hɪs)
vi
[snake, cat, steam, fat in pan etc]发(發)出嘶嘶声(聲) (fāchū sīsīshēng)
[person, audience]发(發)尖利的嘘(噓)声(聲) (fā jiānlì de xūshēng)
vt
压(壓)低嗓门(門)地说(說) (yādī sǎngmén de shuō)
⇒ "Be quiet!" she hissed."别说话！"她压低了嗓门斥责道。 ("Bié shuōhuà!" tā yādīle sǎngmén chìzé dào.)
n(c)
[of snake, steam, fat etc]嘶嘶声(聲) (sīsīshēng)
[of person, audience]嘘(噓)声(聲) (xūshēng)
to hiss at sb/sth (in disapproval) 对(對)某人/某物发(發)嘘(噓)声(聲) (duì mǒurén/mǒuwù fā xūshēng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to express with a hiss
The air hissed out of the pipe.
Synonyms
whistle
wheeze
His chest problems made him wheeze constantly.
rasp
whiz
whirr
sibilate
2 (verb)
Definition
to show dislike or disapproval towards (a speaker or performer) by hissing
The crowd booed and hissed him.
Synonyms
jeer
His motorcade was jeered by angry residents.
mock
I thought you were mocking me.
ridicule
I admire her for allowing them to ridicule her.
deride
This theory is widely derided by conventional scientists.
decry
revile
(noun)
Definition
a sound like that of a prolonged s
the hiss of a bottle opening
Synonyms
fizz
the hysterical fizz of the radio
buzz
hissing
fizzing
sibilance
sibilation
Additional synonyms
in the sense of deride
Definition
to speak of or treat with contempt or ridicule
This theory is widely derided by conventional scientists.
Synonyms
mock,
ridicule,
scorn,
knock (informal),
insult,
taunt,
sneer,
jeer,
disdain,
scoff,
detract,
flout,
disparage,
chaff,
gibe,
take the piss out of (taboo, slang),
pooh-pooh,
contemn
in the sense of mock
Definition
to behave with scorn or contempt towards a person or thing