Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WHIST, a. [Corn. huist, silence.]

Silent; mute; still; not speaking; not making a noise. The winds with wonder whist, / Smoothly the waters kiss'd. – Milton. [This adjective, like some others, always follows its noun. We never say, whist wind; but the wind is whist.] Whist is used for be silent. Whist, whist, that is, be silent or still.