whiz1

[hwiz, wiz] /ʰwɪz, wɪz/
verb (used without object), whizzed, whizzing.
1.
to make a humming, buzzing, or hissing sound, as an object passing swiftly through the air.
2.
to move or rush with such a sound:
The angry hornets whizzed by in a cloud.
verb (used with object), whizzed, whizzing.
3.
to cause to whiz.
4.
to treat with a whizzer.
noun
5.
Informal. a person who is quite good at a particular activity, in a certain field, etc.:
She's a whiz at math.
6.
the sound of a whizzing object.
7.
a swift movement producing such a sound.
Also, whizz.
Origin
1540-50; imitative; cf. fizz
Related forms
whizzingly, adverb
Examples from the web for whizz
  • Bullets whizz by players' heads as they search for a safe position and weave through obstacles dodging exploding grenades.
  • The distant whizz and boom of falling bombs was sometimes varied by the cacophony of an anti-aircraft gun in the prison grounds.
  • It's got almost a whizz, as if there were fans in the exhaust pipes.
  • Small items whizz round a two-kilometre carousel and shoot into cardboard boxes.
  • It produces too few knowledge workers to attract the gee-whizz industries.
  • While there will be whizz, the stable parts are relentlessly growing.
  • The whizz-bang stuff tends to be much less valuable.
  • It was an ambush, so close that the cracks of the guns and the whizz of the bullets were simultaneous.
  • They hear the detonation of the bomb, the whizz of the rocket and it is music ringing in their ears.
British Dictionary definitions for whizz

whizz

/wɪz/
verb whizzes, whizzing, whizzed
1.
to make or cause to make a loud humming or buzzing sound
2.
to move or cause to move with such a sound
3.
(intransitive) (informal) to move or go rapidly
noun
4.
a loud humming or buzzing sound
5.
(informal) a person who is extremely skilful at some activity
6.
a slang word for amphetamine
7.
(US, informal) take a whizz, to urinate
Word Origin
C16: of imitative origin
Contemporary definitions for whizz
noun

See wazz

intransitive verb

See wazz

Word Origin and History for whizz
v.

"make or move with a humming, hissing sound," 1540s, of imitative origin. Meaning "to urinate" is from 1929. Related: Whizzed; whizzing. The noun is recorded from 1610s.

whiz

n.

"clever person," 1914, probably a special use of whiz "something remarkable" (1908), an extended sense of whizz; or perhaps a shortened form of wizard. Noun phrase whiz kid is from 1930s, a take-off on a radio show's quiz kid.

Slang definitions & phrases for whizz

whiz 2

noun

: I just came down for a whizz (1971+)

verb

To urinate; piss: exactly twenty-five minutes after whizzing in his pants for the last time/ I gotta whiz. Will you just cover me at the register for a minute? (1929+)

[perhaps echoic; perhaps related to late 1800s British hold your whiz, ''be quiet, shut up,'' similar to hold your water]


whiz 1

noun

A very successful performer; an outstanding expert; humdinger: the town's most promising high school football whiz/ a whiz at exterior (as opposed to psychological) characterization

[1914+; perhaps a shortened form of wizard]


whiz 3

verb

To pick pockets

[1925+ Underworld; apparently fr the whizzing speed with which an expert pickpocket works]


whiz 4

Related Terms

gee whiz2