whisker
noun/ʍɪskə(ɹ)/ · /wɪskə(ɹ)/
Etymology Inherited from Middle English wisker, whisk (verb) + -er.
8 senses
- 1That part of the beard which grows upon the sides of the…
- 2A hair of the beard.
- 3One of the long, projecting hairs growing at the sides…
- 4The (very small) distance between two things.
- 5Spreaders from the bows to spread the bowsprit shrouds.
- 6A graphic element that shows the maxima and minima in a box plot.
- 7One who, or that which, whisks, or moves with a quick…
- 8A small tendril that forms on metal.
1
That part of the beard which grows upon the sides of the face, usually of the male, or upon the chin, or upon both.
2
A hair of the beard.
3
One of the long, projecting hairs growing at the sides of the mouth of a cat, or other animal.
4
Colloquial The (very small) distance between two things.
- It missed falling on your foot by a whisker.
- Boosted by their reward, Wolves continued to push forward and Jamie O'Hara came within a whisker of doubling the lead, smashing a 25-yard effort on to the bar.2011 May 14, Peter Scrivener, “Sunderland 1 - 3 Wolverhampton”, in BBC Sport:
6
Mathematics, Sciences, Statistics A graphic element that shows the maxima and minima in a box plot.
7
One who, or that which, whisks, or moves with a quick, sweeping motion.
8
Engineering, Metallurgy, Natural sciences, Physical sciences A small tendril that forms on metal.
- Derived terms
- box and whisker plot, by a whisker, cat's whisker, cat's whisker receiver, cat's whiskers, gnat's whisker, tin whisker, whisker biscuit, whiskered, whiskerless, whisker pole, whiskery, within a whisker of