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Shushed Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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shushed

[ʃʌʃt ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

past tense

Shushed is the past tense of shush, which means to make a quieting sound or gesture to silence someone. It is often used when someone is trying to get another person to stop talking or making noise.

Synonyms

hushed, quieted, silenced.

Examples of usage

  • She shushed her friend when the teacher walked in.
  • He shushed the crowd to hear the announcement.
  • The mother shushed her baby to help him fall asleep.
  • The librarian shushed the noisy students.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Cultural Significance

  • In many cultures, telling someone to 'shush' is a polite way to ask for silence, often in settings like libraries or movie theaters.
  • The act of shushing can sometimes be accompanied by a finger over the lips, a gesture recognized universally as a signal to be quiet.

Psychology

  • The need to shush others can indicate the importance of silence for concentration or emotional regulation in social situations.
  • Telling someone to 'be quiet' can have varying emotional responses, including embarrassment, annoyance, or clarity, depending on the context.

Literature

  • The action of shushing appears frequently in children's books, depicting how kids learn about being quiet in specific situations.
  • In classic literature, the act of shushing often accompanies moments of suspense, where quietness heightens drama.

Pop Culture

  • In films, when a character is shushed, it often signifies a pivotal or tense moment that requires silence for both the audience and characters.
  • Cartoons frequently exaggerate the act of shushing, using it for comedic effect, highlighting its role in social norms.

Origin of 'shushed'

Main points about word origin

  • The word 'shushed' comes from the word 'shush,' which mimics the sound of someone trying to quiet others.
  • It has roots in the mid-19th century and is often used in informal contexts to ask for silence.

The word 'shush' has its origins in the late 19th century, derived from a child's imitation of quieting sounds. It mimics the soft, shushing noise made by putting a finger to the lips in a gesture that signifies 'be quiet' or 'hush'. The precise etymology is somewhat unclear, as it draws upon the sounds humans instinctively make to indicate silence. The informal usage of 'shush' and its variations became popular in children's literature and everyday language, emphasizing its use in settings requiring quiet, such as libraries or classrooms. As language evolved, 'shush' and its variants like 'shushed' found their place in colloquial speech, becoming a fun and playful way to convey the message of silence.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,397, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.