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Glite Dictionary
🐴 To neigh gently 🐴 A horse sound
to whicker

to whicker

1 9.2
To make a soft neigh to greet another horse or person
  • verb
  • /ˈhwɪkər/
translation icon : relinchar
  • Snow swirled around the two men as they rode away, hiding them, masking the sounds of their horses whickering farewells.
  • the horse whickered

Examples

  • Stepper and the packhorse whickered nervously.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Then, from the far edge of the field, where it dipped down toward the river, a horse whickered in reply.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Horses stamped their feet and whickered softly in their stalls.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • He felt the whickering lightning of energy weapons like heated irons.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The horse whickered softly when it saw its owner approaching.

  • As the sun set, the mare whickered gently, calling out to the foal.

  • In the quiet of the stable, the horses whickered to each other, sharing their thoughts.

Synonyms

to neigh
vsto whicker
3 3.7

To make the loud, high sound horses make

is softer and describes a gentler version rather than high pitch
to whinny
vsto whicker
1 5.6

To make a soft, high sound that horses make

is softer and focuses on gentleness rather than on high pitch
to nicker
vsto whicker
1 9.9

To make a soft low sound as a horse does when greeting or expecting food

is gentler, focusing on softness rather than on distinct tone

How Loud

to neigh
3 3.7
to whinny
1 5.6
to nicker
1 9.9
to whicker
1 9.2

Surface Forms

whicker infinitive
whickered past
whickered past participle
whickering present participle
whickers third person singular

Etymology

Whicker as a verb comes from the same sound word and means 'to make a soft neigh', so when a horse whickers it quietly greets or answers another horse.