sibilare

to hiss

verb see-bee-LAH-reh Rare

Origin: Latin sibilare (to hiss)

Also means

to whistle

Usage Note

Sibilare describes the sharp hissing or whistling sound made by snakes, arrows in flight, escaping steam, or a disapproving crowd. It is an expressive literary verb rarely used in everyday speech; more common equivalents for 'to whistle' are fischiare. It takes avere.

Examples

"Il serpente sibilò minaccioso."

Natural Translation

The snake hissed menacingly.

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