Wheezers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A slang term often used to refer to individuals who have respiratory issues that cause a wheezing sound when breathing; it can also describe people who excessively laugh or cough, producing a similar sound; additionally, it may denote a type of smoking device that creates a wheezing noise when in use
2. A colloquial expression identifying those who suffer from asthma or other ailments characterized by audible breath sounds; it can also apply to those creating laughter or coughing that results in a wheezing effect; further, it can refer to specific inhalation devices used by smokers that may wheeze during use
3. An informal label for persons experiencing wheezing due to lung problems; it might also apply to individuals whose laughter or cough emits a wheezing sound; finally, it can describe certain smoking implements that generate a wheezing noise during inhalation

Etymology: "Wheezers" is the plural of "wheezer", which is simply "wheeze" with the agent suffix "-er" attached. The verb "wheeze" is the older base, and the suffix traces back through Old English "-ere" and Latin "-arius", the same ending found in words for people who do a job or have a characteristic. So a wheezer is, quite literally, one who wheezes. The most striking part of the story is the range of the term. Beyond people with breathing difficulties, it has been applied to anyone who laughs or coughs in a way that produces a similar rasping sound, and to a smoking device that emits a whistling noise when inhaled. These senses all share the same core idea: a thin, labored, whistling sound made by breath.

Synonyms: snorers, hissers, breathers

Antonyms: silencers