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Webster 1913 Edition
Wheeze
Wheeze
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Wheezed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Wheezing
.] [OE.
whesen
, AS. hwēsan
(cf. Icel. hvæsa
to hiss, Sw. hväsa
, Dan. hvæse
); akin to AS. hwōsta
a cough, D. hoest
, G. husten
, OHG. huosto
, Icel. hōsti
, Lith. kosti
to cough, Skr. kās
. √43. Cf. Husky
hoarse.] To breathe hard, and with an audible piping or whistling sound, as persons affected with asthma.
“Wheezing lungs.” Shak.
Wheeze
,Noun.
1.
A piping or whistling sound caused by difficult respiration.
2.
(Phon.)
An ordinary whisper exaggerated so as to produce the hoarse sound known as the “stage whisper.” It is a forcible whisper with some admixture of tone.
Webster 1828 Edition
Wheeze
WHEEZE
,Verb.
I.