hush

/həʃ/

/həʃ/

Other forms: hushed; hushing; hushes

To hush is to become quiet. When an audience is eager to hear a speaker, it will hush as soon as she begins to talk.

Train passengers will usually hush their conversations when the conductor reminds them that they're in the quiet car, and one of a kindergarten teacher's skills is getting his class to hush. In fact, to quiet another person or group of people is also to hush: "The principal impatiently hushes the students as soon as they start giggling." A peaceful silence is another kind of hush. In Middle English, it was the imitative huisht.

Definitions of hush

1. verb

   become quiet or still; fall silent
   “hush my baby!”

   type of:

   change

   undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
2. verb

   become quiet or quieter
   synonyms: pipe down, quiesce, quiet, quiet down, quieten

   hush up, quieten, shut up, silence, still

   cause to be quiet or not talk

   type of:

   change intensity

   increase or decrease in intensity
3. verb

   cause to be quiet or not talk
   synonyms: hush up, quieten, shut up, silence, still

   pipe down, quiesce, quiet, quiet down, quieten

   become quiet or quieter

   types:

   shush

   silence (someone) by uttering 'shush!'

   calm down, lull

   become quiet or less intensive

   shout down

   silence or overwhelm by shouting

   gag, muzzle

   prevent from speaking out

   type of:

   conquer, curb, inhibit, stamp down, subdue, suppress

   to put down by force or authority
4. noun

   (poetic) tranquil silence
   synonyms: still, stillness

   type of:

   quiet, silence

   the absence of sound
5. verb

   wash by removing particles
   type of:

   lave, wash

   cleanse (one's body) with soap and water
6. verb

   run water over the ground to erode (soil), revealing the underlying strata and valuable minerals
   type of:

   irrigate, water

   supply with water, as with channels or ditches or streams