ENGLISH
REFERENCE

psst

interj.
B1 Intermediate UK //psst// psst Informal

interj. a sound you make to get someone's attention quietly. You use it when you want to talk to someone without other people hearing.

interj. an onomatopoeic sound used to attract attention or signal a desire to speak privately.


SIMPLE

Psst, can you come over here for a second?

CONTEXTUAL

He gave a quiet psst to his friend across the room to let him know they needed to talk.

COMPLEX

The whisper of the wind was barely audible over the rustling leaves, but a sharp psst from the bushes made the hikers pause and look around.

Origin

Imitative. Imitative of the similar sounds people use to call animals such as cats.

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