Hissing

Pronunciation: /ˈhɪsɪŋ/

Definitions of hissing

noun a sound like a prolonged 's' as of a snake

Example Sentences

A1 The cat made a hissing sound when it felt threatened.

A2 I heard a hissing noise coming from the radiator.

B1 The hissing of the steam from the kettle filled the kitchen.

B2 The snake's hissing could be heard from a distance.

C1 The hissing of the wind through the trees created an eerie atmosphere.

C2 The hissing of the espresso machine signaled that our coffee was ready.

verb making a sound like a prolonged 's' as of a snake

Example Sentences

A1 The cat was hissing at the dog.

A2 The snake hissed loudly as a warning.

B1 The kettle began hissing when it reached boiling point.

B2 The angry customer hissed insults at the manager.

C1 The tires hissed on the wet pavement as the car skidded to a stop.

C2 The villain hissed menacingly before making their escape.

Examples of hissing in a Sentence

formal The sound of hissing could be heard coming from the broken pipe.

informal I could hear the hissing sound of the deflating balloon.

slang The snake started hissing at me when I got too close.

figurative The tension in the room was so thick you could almost hear the hissing of anger between them.

Grammatical Forms of hissing

• past tense: hissed
• plural: hissings
• comparative: more hissing
• superlative: most hissing
• present tense: hisses
• future tense: will hiss
• perfect tense: has hissed
• continuous tense: is hissing
• singular: hissing
• positive degree: hissing
• infinitive: to hiss
• gerund: hissing
• participle: hissing

Origin and Evolution of hissing

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'hissing' originated from the Old English word 'hyssan' which meant to make a hissing sound.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'hissing' has retained its original meaning of making a hissing sound, but it has also come to be used metaphorically to describe disapproval or scorn expressed through a sharp sound.