sizzle

English

Etymology

Probably a derivative of Middle English sissen (“to hiss; buzz; hum”), equivalent to siss +‎ -le (frequentative suffix).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪzəl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪzəl

Verb

sizzle (third-person singular simple present sizzles, present participle sizzling, simple past and past participle sizzled)

1. (intransitive) To make the sound of water boiling on a hot surface.

   The sausages were sizzling on the barbecue.

2. (transitive, informal) To cook (something) in a manner which causes that sound.

   I sizzled the bacon for a few minutes in the pan.

3. (intransitive) To be exciting or dazzling.

   The song sizzled with energy.

Derived terms

• sizzler

Translations

to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface

• Bulgarian: цвъртя (bg) (cvǎrtja)
• Catalan: espurnejar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 嘯／啸 (zh) (xiào), 噝／咝 (zh) (sī), 噝／咝 (zh) (sī)

• Czech: zasyčet pf
• Dutch: sissen (nl)
• Finnish: kihistä, sihistä (fi)
• French: grésiller (fr)
• German: zischen (de)
• Hungarian: sistereg (hu)
• Ingrian: sihissä
• Italian: sfrigolare (it), gorgogliare (it)
• Maori: hihī
• Occitan: grasilhar (oc), bronzinar (oc)
• Polish: skwierczeć
• Portuguese: chiar (pt)
• Russian: шипе́ть (ru) impf (šipétʹ), шкварча́ть (ru) impf (škvarčátʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Roman: štrcati (sh)

• Slovak: škvrčať
• Spanish: chisporrotear (es), chirriar (es)
• Turkish: cızırdamak (tr)
• Ukrainian: шкварча́ти impf (škvarčáty)
• Vietnamese: xèo xèo

to cook in a manner which causes sizzling

• German: brutzeln (de)

to be exciting or dazzling

• Dutch: zinderen (nl)
• Finnish: säkenöidä

Noun

sizzle (countable and uncountable, plural sizzles)

1. (countable) The sound of water boiling on a hot surface.

   We heard the sizzle of the onions hitting the pan.

2. (countable, informal) The process of being cooked which involves that sound.

   Give them a sizzle for a few more minutes before serving.

3. (uncountable) Zing, zip, or pizazz; excitement.

   Her performance had a lot of sizzle.

Derived terms

• all sizzle and no steak
• sausage sizzle
• sizzle reel
• sizzle steak

 

Translations

the sound of water hitting a hot surface

• Bulgarian: цвърчене (bg) n (cvǎrčene)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 噝噝作響／咝咝作响 (sīsīzuòxiǎng)

• Czech: zasyčení n
• Finnish: kihinä, sihinä
• French: grésillement (fr) m
• German: Zischen n
• Hungarian: sistergés (hu)
• Japanese: シューシューいう音 (shūshū iu oto)
• Maori: hihī
• Polish: skwierczenie n
• Portuguese: chiado (pt) m
• Russian: шипе́ние (ru) n (šipénije), шкварча́ние n (škvarčánije)
• Slovak: škvrčanie n
• Spanish: chirriar (es)
• Turkish: cızırdama (tr)
• Vietnamese: tiếng xèo

zing, zip, or pizazz; excitement

• Czech: poprask m, rozruch (cs) m
• Finnish: säpinä
• French: grésiller (fr)
• Spanish: chirrido (es) m

Anagrams

• zizels