v. Obs. exc. dial. Also 5–6 whyster. [app. identical with OE. hwǽstrian ‘susurrare,’ ‘murmurare,’ with root-vowel raised (from *whester), partly by assimilation to whisper.] = WHISPER v. Hence Whistering vbl. sb. and ppl. a.; Whisterer = WHISPERER.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xii. 19. Grucchendeli whistrende. Ibid., xxviii. 15. The whistrende grucchere.
14[?]. Chaucer’s Troylus, II. 1753 (Harl. MS. 3943). Was Troilus not in a kankerdorte, Þat lay & myght the whistryng [v.r. whysprynge] of hem here.
c. 1500. Medwall, Nature (Brandl), I. 1087. Reason wyll whyster hym in the ere.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 162. I hate whisterars.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 97. Vnto them this lesson he whisters.
1565. T. Stapleton, Fortr. Faith, 93. Peter Martyr … whistered to him in the eare that he should plainly denie that any laying on of handes … was required.
1586. W. Webbe, Eng. Poetrie (Arb.), 75. Oft fine whistring noise, shall bring sweete sleepe to thy sences.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., II. 147. She … whistereth a certain odde praier with a Pater Noster into his eare.
1746. Exmoor Courtship (E. D. S.), 624. Chell tell tha sometheng—Zart! whistery!
1888. Doughty, Trav. Arabia Deserta, I. 556. Whistling—a surprising sound in the Arabic countries! where it would be taken for one’s whistering to the jan.
