whistle

[hwis-uh l, wis-]

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verb (used without object), whis·tled, whis·tling.

to make a clear musical sound, a series of such sounds, or a high-pitched, warbling sound by the forcible expulsion of the breath through a small opening formed by contracting the lips, or through the teeth, with the aid of the tongue.

to make such a sound or series of sounds otherwise, as by blowing on some device.

to emit similar sounds from the mouth, as birds do.

(of a device) to produce a similar sound when actuated by steam or the like: This teakettle whistles when it boils.

to move, go, pass, etc., with a whistling or whizzing sound, as a bullet or the wind.

verb (used with object), whis·tled, whis·tling.

to produce by whistling: to whistle a tune.

to call, direct, or signal by or as by whistling: He whistled his dog over.

to send with a whistling or whizzing sound.

noun

an instrument for producing whistling sounds by means of the breath, steam, etc., as a small wooden or tin tube, a pipe, or a similar device with an air chamber containing a small ball that oscillates when air is forced through an opening, producing a high-pitched, warbling tone.

a sound produced by whistling: a prolonged whistle of astonishment.

a simple fipple flute.

Verb Phrases

whistle for, to demand or expect without success: After promising to pay, he told us we could whistle for our money.

Idioms

blow the whistle, to expose the existence of mischief or wrongdoing: The agent was taking bribes until someone finally blew the whistle.

blow the whistle on,

to bring a stop to; halt: Congress has blown the whistle on all unnecessary expenditures for the program.
to expose (wrongdoing or wrongdoers): to blow the whistle on corruption in high places.

wet one's whistle, Informal. to take a drink.

whistle in the dark, to attempt to summon up one's courage or optimism in a difficult situation: He says his business will improve next year, but he's probably just whistling in the dark.

Origin of whistle

before 950; (v.) Middle English whistlen, Old English hwistlian; akin to Old Norse hvīsla to whistle, hviskra to whisper; see whine; (noun) Middle English; Old English hwistle instrument, akin to the v.

Related formswhis·tle·a·ble, adjectivein·ter·whis·tle, verb (used with object), in·ter·whis·tled, in·ter·whis·tling.un·whis·tled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for whistle

blare, hiss, sound, signal, whine, warble, pipe, toot, whiz, wheeze, blast, shriek, fife, trill, tootle, flute, skirl

Examples from the Web for whistle

Contemporary Examples of whistle

“Clean as a whistle,” says a senior investigator involved in the case.
Exclusive: Inside a Cop-Killer’s Final Hours
Michael Daly
December 31, 2014
But admit it: at the first whistle, we all paid attention, to a part of the world that would usually prefer us all to butt out.
Pyongyang Primer: Kenneth Bae Comes Home
Kevin Bleyer
November 15, 2014
He is on trial along with three others, and Bogucki is blowing the whistle on government practices he says are not fair play.
A Navy Lawyer Cries Foul on Gitmo’s Kafkaesque Legal System
Eleanor Clift
September 26, 2014
Not a lot of air tooting that whistle, no matter what the video would lead viewers to believe.
Anti-Vaxxers Have a New Hero
Russell Saunders
September 1, 2014
Down Fred went and the ref blew his whistle, piercing Croatian hearts as he pointed to the penalty spot.
Brazil Slips Past Croatia, Thanks to Yuichi Nishimura
Tunku Varadarajan
June 12, 2014

Historical Examples of whistle

He was still exerting his strength to the utmost when the whistle of the locomotive was heard.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
Let me but have the little wench and the whistle to-morrow morn, and it is done.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
Do, some kind Christian, pump a stroke or two, just to wet my whistle.
A Rill from the Town Pump (From "Twice Told Tales")
Nathaniel Hawthorne
The whistle sounds, punctually to the stroke of six; we are off.
The Roof of France
Matilda Betham-Edwards
"Whistle when you are ready, Donald," called Linda as she turned away.
Her Father's Daughter
Gene Stratton-Porter

British Dictionary definitions for whistle

whistle

verb

to produce (shrill or flutelike musical sounds), as by passing breath through a narrow constriction most easily formed by the pursed lipshe whistled a melody

(tr) to signal, summon, or command by whistling or blowing a whistlethe referee whistled the end of the game

(of a kettle, train, etc) to produce (a shrill sound) caused by the emission of steam through a small aperture

(intr) to move with a whistling sound caused by rapid passage through the air

(of animals, esp birds) to emit (a shrill sound) resembling human whistling

whistle in the dark to try to keep up one's confidence in spite of fear

noun

a device for making a shrill high-pitched sound by means of air or steam under pressure

a shrill sound effected by whistling

a whistling sound, as of a bird, bullet, the wind, etc

a signal, warning, command, etc, transmitted by or as if by a whistle

the act of whistling

music any pipe that is blown down its end and produces sounds on the principle of a flue pipe, usually having as a mouthpiece a fipple cut in the side

wet one's whistle informal to take an alcoholic drink

blow the whistle (usually foll by on) informal

to inform (on)
to bring a stop (to)

Word Origin for whistle

Old English hwistlian; related to Old Norse hvīsla

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for whistle

Old English hwistlian, from Proto-Germanic *khwis-, of imitative origin. Used also in Middle English of the hissing of serpents. Related: Whistled; whistling. To whistle for (with small prospect of getting) is probably from nautical whistling for a wind. To whistle "Dixie" is from 1940.

"tubular musical instrument," Old English hwistle (see whistle (v.)). To wet one's whistle "take a drink" (late 14c.) originally may have referred to pipes, or be an allusion to the throat as a sort of pipe. Phrase clean as a whistle is recorded from 1878. Railroad whistle stop (at which trains stop only if the engineer hears a signal from the station) is recorded from 1934.

Idioms and Phrases with whistle

whistle

In addition to the idioms beginning with whistle

whistle Dixie
whistle for
whistle in the dark

also see:

blow the whistle on
clean as a whistle
slick as a whistle
wet one's whistle