Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small, short-handled broom used for brushing clothes or surfaces: A tool made of a bundle of fine, stiff fibers attached to a handle, used for light brushing or sweeping.
   • A kitchen utensil for mixing or whipping: A tool, often incorporating a coil of wires or loops, used to beat ingredients like eggs or cream to incorporate air.

2. Verb:

   • To move or take something quickly and lightly: To move something or someone with a rapid, sweeping motion.
   • To beat or whip (eggs, cream, etc.): To mix ingredients vigorously using a whisk or similar tool to make them light and frothy.
   • To brush or wipe off lightly: To remove something with a quick, light brushing motion.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • She used a small whisk to brush the lint off her coat.
  • For the recipe, you will need a wire whisk to beat the egg whites until stiff.

• Verb:

  • He whisked the letter off the table before anyone could see it.
  • Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl.
  • She whisked the crumbs from the tablecloth.

Advanced Usage

• "to whisk someone/something away": to take someone or something away quickly and suddenly, often to a different place.

  • The bodyguards whisked the celebrity away from the crowd of photographers.

• "to whisk along": to move quickly and lightly.

  • The leaves were whisked along by the strong wind.

Variants and Related Words

• Whisker (n): A long, stiff hair growing from the face of an animal like a cat; (informally) a very small distance or amount.

  • The cat's whiskers twitched.
  • He missed the target by a whisker.

• Whisking (n/gerund): The action of beating something with a whisk.

  • Proper whisking is essential for a good meringue.

Synonyms

• Verb (to move quickly): Dart, sweep, snatch.
• Verb (to beat): Whip, beat, froth.
• Noun (tool): Beater, brush.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Whisk away: To remove something or someone quickly.

  • The waiter whisked away our empty plates.

• Whisk off: Similar to "whisk away"; to take something or someone off quickly.

  • She whisked off the tablecloth to reveal a clean one underneath.

Related Idioms

• None directly formed with "whisk" as the core word. The word is more commonly used in its literal or phrasal verb forms.

Noun

1. a small short-handled broom used to brush clothes
2. a mixer incorporating a coil of wires; used for whipping eggs or cream

Verb

1. whip with or as if with a wire whisk
   • whisk the eggs
2. brush or wipe off lightly
3. move quickly and nimbly
   • He whisked into the house
4. move somewhere quickly
   • The President was whisked away in his limo