hush

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To make someone or something become quiet, or to become quiet.

   She gently hushed the crying baby.

2. 2
   noun

   A sudden silence, especially after noise.

   A hush fell over the room as the speaker began.

From Middle English huschen (“to hush”) (as past participle husht (“silent; hushed”) and interjection husht (“quiet!”)). Cognate with Low German huschen, hüssen (“to hush; lull”), German huschen (“to shoo; scurry”), Danish hysse (“to hush”), and maybe Albanian hesht.

Topics