Adjacent Words

Whistle definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WHISTLE, v.i. hwisl. [L., a whistle; allied to whisper.]
1. To utter a kind of musical sound, by pressing the breath through a small orifice formed by contracting the lips.
While the plowman near at hand, whistles oer the furrowd land.
2. To make a sound with a small wind instrument.
3. To sound shrill, or like a pipe.
The wild winds whistle, and the billows roar.
WHISTLE, v.t.
1. To form, utter or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or air.
2. To call by a whistle; as, he whistled back his dog.
WHISTLE, n. [L.]
1. A small wind instrument.
2. The sound made by a small wind instrument.
3. Sound made by pressing the breath through a small orifice of the lips.
4. The mouth; the organ of whistling. [Vulgar.]
5. A small pipe, used by a boatswain to summon the sailors to their duty; the boatswains call.
6. The shrill sound of winds passing among trees or through crevices, etc.
7. A call, such as sportsmen use to their dogs.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture [syn: whistle, whistling]
2: the act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle; "the whistle signalled the end of the game" [syn: whistle, whistling]
3: a small wind instrument that produces a whistling sound by blowing into it
4: acoustic device that forces air or steam against an edge or into a cavity and so produces a loud shrill sound
5: an inexpensive fipple flute [syn: pennywhistle, tin whistle, whistle] v
1: make whistling sounds; "He lay there, snoring and whistling"
2: move with, or as with, a whistling sound; "The bullets whistled past him"
3: utter or express by whistling; "She whistled a melody"
4: move, send, or bring as if by whistling; "Her optimism whistled away these worries"
5: make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound; "the kettle was singing"; "the bullet sang past his ear" [syn: whistle, sing]
6: give a signal by whistling; "She whistled for her maid"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hwistle; akin to Old Norse hv?sla to whisper Date: before 12th century 1. a. a small wind instrument in which sound is produced by the forcible passage of breath through a slit in a short tube <a police whistle> b. a device through which air or steam is forced into a cavity or against a thin edge to produce a loud sound <a factory whistle> 2. a. a shrill clear sound produced by forcing breath out or air in through the puckered lips b. the sound produced by a whistle c. a signal given by or as if by whistling 3. a sound that resembles a whistle; especially a shrill clear note of or as if of a bird II. verb (whistled; whistling) Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to utter a shrill clear sound by blowing or drawing air through the puckered lips b. to utter a shrill note or call resembling a whistle c. to make a shrill clear sound especially by rapid movement <the wind whistled> d. to blow or sound a whistle 2. a. to give a signal or issue an order or summons by or as if by whistling b. to make a demand without result <he did a sloppy job, so he can whistle for his money> transitive verb 1. a. to send, bring, signal, or call by or as if by whistling b. to charge (as a basketball or hockey player) with an infraction 2. to produce, utter, or express by whistling <whistle a tune> • whistleable adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a clear shrill sound made by forcing breath through a small hole between nearly closed lips. 2 a similar sound made by a bird, the wind, a missile, etc. 3 an instrument used to produce such a sound. --v. 1 intr. emit a whistle. 2 a intr. give a signal or express surprise or derision by whistling. b tr. (often foll. by up) summon or give a signal to (a dog etc.) by whistling. 3 tr. (also absol.) produce (a tune) by whistling. 4 intr. (foll. by for) vainly seek or desire. Phrases and idioms: as clean (or clear or dry) as a whistle very clean or clear or dry. blow the whistle on colloq. bring (an activity) to an end; inform on (those responsible). whistle down the wind 1 let go, abandon. 2 turn (a hawk) loose. whistle in the dark pretend to be unafraid. whistle-stop 1 US a small unimportant town on a railway. 2 a politician's brief pause for an electioneering speech on tour. 3 (attrib.) with brief pauses (a whistle-stop tour). whistling kettle a kettle fitted with a whistle sounded by steam when the kettle is boiling. Etymology: OE (h)wistlian (v.), (h)wistle (n.) of imit. orig.: cf. ON hvísla whisper, MSw. hvisla whistle

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Whistle Whis"tle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Whistled; p. pr. & vb. n. Whistling.] [AS. hwistlian; akin to Sw. hvissla, Dan. hvisle, Icel. hv[=i]sla to whisper, and E. whisper. [root]43. See Whisper.] 1. To make a kind of musical sound, or series of sounds, by forcing the breath through a small orifice formed by contracting the lips; also, to emit a similar sound, or series of notes, from the mouth or beak, as birds. The weary plowman leaves the task of day, And, trudging homeward, whistles on the way. --Gay. 2. To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill tone. 3. To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the air. The wild winds whistle, and the billows roar. --Pope.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Whistle Whis"tle, v. t. 1. To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or an air. 2. To send, signal, or call by a whistle. He chanced to miss his dog; we stood still till he had whistled him up. --Addison. To whistle off. (a) To dismiss by a whistle; -- a term in hawking. ``AS a long-winged hawk when he is first whistled off the fist, mounts aloft.'' --Burton. (b) Hence, in general, to turn loose; to abandon; to dismiss. I 'ld whistle her off, and let her down the wind To prey at fortune. --Shak. Note: ``A hawk seems to have been usually sent off in this way, against the wind when sent in search of prey; with or down the wind, when turned loose, and abandoned.'' --Nares.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Whistle Whis"tle, n. [AS. hwistle a pipe, flute, whistle. See Whistle, v. i.] 1. A sharp, shrill, more or less musical sound, made by forcing the breath through a small orifice of the lips, or through or instrument which gives a similar sound; the sound used by a sportsman in calling his dogs; the shrill note of a bird; as, the sharp whistle of a boy, or of a boatswain's pipe; the blackbird's mellow whistle. Might we but hear The folded flocks, penned in their wattled cotes, . . . Or whistle from the lodge. --Milton. The countryman could not forbear smiling, . . . and by that means lost his whistle. --Spectator. They fear his whistle, and forsake the seas. --Dryden. 2. The shrill sound made by wind passing among trees or through crevices, or that made by bullet, or the like, passing rapidly through the air; the shrill noise (much used as a signal, etc.) made by steam or gas escaping through a small orifice, or impinging against the edge of a metallic bell or cup. 3. An instrument in which gas or steam forced into a cavity, or against a thin edge, produces a sound more or less like that made by one who whistles through the compressed lips; as, a child's whistle; a boatswain's whistle; a steam whistle (see Steam whistle, under Steam). The bells she jingled, and the whistle blew. --Pope. 4. The mouth and throat; -- so called as being the organs of whistling. [Colloq.] So was her jolly whistle well ywet. --Chaucer. Let's drink the other cup to wet our whistles. --Walton. Whistle duck (Zo["o]l.), the American golden-eye.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(whistles, whistling, whistled) 1. When you whistle or when you whistle a tune, you make a series of musical notes by forcing your breath out between your lips, or your teeth. He was whistling softly to himself... As he washed he whistled a tune. VERB: V, V n 2. When someone whistles, they make a sound by forcing their breath out between their lips or their teeth. People sometimes whistle when they are surprised or shocked, or to call a dog, or to show that they are impressed. He whistled, surprised but not shocked... Jenkins whistled through his teeth, impressed at last... VERB: V, V prep • Whistle is also a noun. Jackson gave a low whistle. N-COUNT: oft supp N see also wolf-whistle 3. If something such as a train or a kettle whistles, it makes a loud, high sound. Somewhere a train whistled... ...the whistling car radio. VERB: V, V-ing • whistling ...the whistling of the wind. N-SING: oft the N of n 4. If something such as the wind or a bullet whistles somewhere, it moves there, making a loud, high sound. The wind was whistling through the building... As I stood up a bullet whistled past my back. VERB: V prep, V prep 5. A whistle is a loud sound produced by air or steam being forced through a small opening, or by something moving quickly through the air. Hugh listened to the whistle of a train. ...the whistle of the wind. N-COUNT: oft N of n 6. A whistle is a small metal tube which you blow in order to produce a loud sound and attract someone's attention. On the platform, the guard blew his whistle... N-COUNT 7. A whistle is a simple musical instrument in the shape of a metal pipe with holes. N-COUNT see also tin whistle 8. If you blow the whistle on someone, or on something secret or illegal, you tell another person, especially a person in authority, what is happening. Companies should protect employees who blow the whistle on dishonest workmates and work practices. = inform PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR on n see also whistle-blower 9. If you describe something as clean as a whistle, you mean that it is completely clean. PHRASE: v-link PHR

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

The throat. To wet one's whistle; to drink.

Moby Thesaurus

Angelus, Angelus bell, English horn, Klaxon, Mayday, Pandean pipe, SOS, air-raid alarm, alarm, alarm bell, alarm clock, alarm signal, alarum, alert, all clear, anthem, assibilation, aulos, bagpipe, ballad, basset horn, basset oboe, bassoon, battle cry, bay, beacon, beam, beep, bell, birdcall, birdies, blare, blast, blat, blinking light, blooping, blow, blow a horn, blow the horn, blurping, boiler factory, boiler room, bombard, boo, bray, bugle, bugle call, bull-roarer, burglar alarm, buzz, buzzer, cackle, call, caper, caracole, carillon, carol, catcall, caterwaul, caw, chant, chatter, cheep, cherry bomb, chirk, chirp, chirr, chirrup, chitter, choir, chorus, chuck, clack, clacker, clap hands, clapper, clarinet, clarion, cluck, cock-a-doodle-doo, contrabassoon, contrafagotto, coo, cracker, creak, cricket, croak, cromorne, cronk, croon, crostarie, crow, cuckoo, dance, delight, descant, distortion, do-re-mi, doodle, double bassoon, double reed, double-tongue, drum, effervesce, effervescence, effervescing, exult, fanfare, feedback, fiery cross, fife, fipple flute, fire alarm, fire bell, fire flag, firecracker, five-minute gun, fizz, fizzle, fizzling, flageolet, flashing light, flourish of trumpets, flute, flutter, fluttering, fog bell, fog signal, foghorn, frication, frictional rustling, frisk, frolic, gabble, gaggle, gale warning, gambol, give the bird, give the raspberry, glory, glow, gobble, groan, growl, guggle, hautboy, heckelphone, hiss, hissing, honk, hoo, hoot, hooter, horn, hornpipe, howl, howling, hue and cry, hum, hurricane warning, hush, hushing, hymn, intonate, intone, joy, jubilate, keen, last post, laugh, licorice stick, lighthouse, lilt, lip, lisp, minstrel, moan, moose call, motorboating, murmur, musette, mutter, noisemaker, note of alarm, oaten reed, oboe, oboe da caccia, ocarina, occulting light, panpipe, peal, peep, penny-whistle, piccolo, pip, pipe, police whistle, pommer, psalm, quack, quaver, radiate cheer, rallying cry, rattle, rattlebox, rebel yell, recorder, reed, reed instrument, rejoice, reveille, revel, rhonchus, roar, roll, rollick, romp, roulade, rumble, sax, saxophone, scold, scratching, screak, scream, screech, serenade, shake, shawm, shredding, shriek, shrill, shush, shushing, sibilance, sibilate, sibilation, siffle, sigh, sigmatism, signal of distress, sing, sing in chorus, single reed, single-reed instrument, siren, siss, sissing, sizz, sizzle, sizzling, skip, skip for joy, skirl, skreigh, small-craft warning, smile, snapper, snarl, sneeze, sneezing, sniff, sniffle, snore, snort, snuff, snuffle, sob, sol-fa, solmizate, sonorophone, sough, sound, sound a tattoo, sound taps, sparkle, spit, splutter, sputter, squash, squawk, squeak, squeal, squeals, squelch, squish, static, steam whistle, sternutation, stertor, still alarm, storm cone, storm flag, storm warning, summons, sweet potato, swish, syrinx, tabor pipe, tantara, tantarara, taps, tarantara, tattoo, tenoroon, ticktack, tin-whistle, tocsin, tongue, toot, tootle, tremolo, trill, triple-tongue, troll, trumpet, trumpet blast, trumpet call, tweedle, tweedledee, tweet, twit, twitter, two-minute gun, ululate, ululation, upside-down flag, vocalize, wail, war cry, warble, wheeze, whine, whish, whisper, whistle at, whistles, whistling, white noise, whiz, whizgig, whizzer, whoosh, wind, wind the horn, woods, woodwind, woodwind choir, woodwind instrument, woomping, wow, wowwows, wrawl, yammer, yodel, zip