Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • interjection Used to capture someone's attention inconspicuously.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • interjection Implies that the speaker is sending secret or whispered information to another person.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Imitative.]

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Examples

  • Pointing at Ryan's shirt, I heard a "psst" in my mind.

    Break No Bones Reichs, Kathy 2006

  • At the next "psst" he walked up, held his camera to the opening in the door and popped off his flash.

    All we need is Blog? Ed 2003

  • Upon passing each door a woman would give you a soft "psst" followed by an offer not unlike the prostitute's offer in "Full Metal Jacket."

    All we need is Blog? Ed 2003

  • At the next "psst" he walked up, held his camera to the opening in the door and popped off his flash.

    Archive 2003-10-01 Ed 2003

  • Upon passing each door a woman would give you a soft "psst" followed by an offer not unlike the prostitute's offer in "Full Metal Jacket."

    Archive 2003-10-01 Ed 2003

  • Q: There was a video of deniable ops - Where we thought we heard a "psst" which seemed to lure the guard ..

    Voodoo Extreme 2010

  • I can get them not getting legally invloved but not even a little email saying "psst -" to the old owner?!

    ehMac.ca cowboyhat 2010

  • Yeah, well, we know that intoxication brings down inhibitions and people tend to express deeply-held opinions they'd ordinarily keep hidden out of awareness that it isn't "psst" PC to say aloud.

    Life in Israel 2010

  • I am not going to respond further to your undignified arguments which tend to start with “LOL,” “psst,” or “yanno”.

    Matthew Yglesias » Longstanding Problems Are Still Problematic 2010

  • I am not going to respond further to your undignified arguments which tend to start with “LOL,” “psst,” or “yanno”.

    Matthew Yglesias » Longstanding Problems Are Still Problematic 2010

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