v. [Imitative; the vowel expressing a duller sound than that of WHISH.] intr. To utter or emit a dull soft sibilant sound, like that of something rushing through the air. So Whoosh sb., a sound of this nature (also reduplicated).
1856. Dickens, Lett. to Wilkie Collins, 13 July. The boys … whooshing and crying (after tigerish cat No. 2): ‘French!’ ‘Here she comes!’
1906. ‘Q’ (Quiller-Couch), Mayor of Troy, vii. With a whoo-sh a rocket leapt into the air and burst. Ibid. (1915), Nicky-Nan, ix. 112. Whenever her brush intromitted its harsh whoosh-whoosh and she paused to apply fresh soap.
1917. [Valentine Williams], in Blackw. Mag., July, 47/2. Huge projectiles whooshed noisily through the air.
