whisk

1 of 2

noun

1
: a quick light brushing or whipping motion
2
a
: a usually wire kitchen utensil used for beating food by hand
b
: a flexible bunch (as of twigs, feathers, or straw) attached to a handle for use as a brush

whisk

2 of 2

verb

whisked; whisking; whisks

intransitive verb

: to move nimbly and quickly

transitive verb

1
: to move or convey briskly
whisked the children off to bed
2
: to mix or fluff up by or as if by beating with a whisk
whisk egg whites
3
: to brush or wipe off lightly

Examples of whisk in a Sentence

Noun with a whisk of the broom, the dirt was gone Verb Whisk the eggs with the cream until the mixture thickens. She whisked the children off to bed. The taxi whisked me to the airport. The waitress whisked my plate away before I was finished eating.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Using a spoon or whisk, start a whirlpool in the water. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2023 When adding the parmesan cheese, use a whisk and cook just until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth (this will prevent the sauce from separating). Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 8 Sep. 2023 Add egg, milk, and melted butter and whisk until smooth. Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2023 Using a wide silicone spatula or a wire whisk (more on that later), start at the top of the bowl, at twelve o’clock. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 16 Aug. 2023 Use a long whisk or spoon when working with caramel to keep your hands and arms as far away from the bubbling sugar as possible. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 30 July 2023 Add sour cream, heavy cream, egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest and whisk until combined. Torie Cox, Country Living, 27 Feb. 2023 Tip: Always stir a ganache gently with a rubber spatula, not a whisk, which will incorporate too much air. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2023 The hand mixer comes with two beaters but no whisk or dough hook attachments. Rachel Center, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2023
Verb
Our final day, a helicopter whisks us back to Lukla. Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2023 Then Likes was whisked backstage to make his big entrance, still reeling from the encounter. Brent Lang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2023 Slowly whisk in the canola oil and sesame oil until well blended and emulsified. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 10 Sep. 2023 With my Visa in hand, the bartender handed me my receipt before whisking himself away to attend to other guests. Natalie Babcock, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2023 Passengers must hear the pops and crackles as they’re whisked along the highway, they were told. WIRED, 6 Sep. 2023 Vendors hawk shoreside trips and rows of buses stand ready to whisk visitors away, with many headed for the area’s crown jewel: the Mendenhall Glacier. Becky Bohrer, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2023 So even when chef Han-bin whisked away Seo-eun, the couple chose to walk away from Inferno as a match. Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2023 In a 51-acre complex two miles from Union Station, yellow-vested workers are maintaining the rail cars that whisk passengers up and down the busy Northeast Corridor. Luz Lazo, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whisk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English wisk, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse visk wisp; akin to Old English wiscian to plait

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of whisk was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near whisk

Cite this Entry

“Whisk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whisk. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

whisk

1 of 2 noun
ˈhwisk How to pronounce whisk (audio)
ˈwisk
1
: a quick brush or sweep
a whisk of the hand
2
: a small kitchen utensil used for beating food
3

whisk

2 of 2 verb
1
: to move easily and quickly
squirrels whisked up the trees
2
: to move or carry briskly
whisked the children off to bed
3
: to mix or fluff up by or as if by beating with a whisk
whisk eggs
4
: to brush or wipe off lightly
whisk the lint off your skirt

More from Merriam-Webster on whisk

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