whistling

[ hwis-ling, wis- ]

/ ˈʰwɪs lɪŋ, ˈwɪs- /

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See synonyms for whistling on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of a person or thing that whistles.

the sound produced.

Veterinary Pathology. a form of roaring characterized by a peculiarly shrill sound.

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

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Origin of whistling

before 900; Middle English; Old English hwistlung.See whistle, -ing¹

Words nearby whistling

whistler, Whistler, James, Whistler's Mother, whistle stop, whistle up, whistling, whistling buoy, whistling duck, whistling swan, whit, Whitaker

How to use whistling in a sentence

Tuvan throat singing often imitates the sounds of rushing water and whistling wind.
Your Brain Is Like Beethoven - Issue 107: The Edge|Jonathan Berger|October 27, 2021|Nautilus
My friend the political scientist Tom Schaller said all this back in 2008, in his book Whistling Past Dixie.
Dems, It’s Time to Dump Dixie|Michael Tomasky|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When my first novel, Whistling in the Dark, was declared a breakout hit and New York Times bestseller, I was utterly bowled over.
Horror Stories From the Book Tour Life|Lesley Kagen|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They called him Jolly because he was always happy, singing and whistling.
The Stacks: The Neville Brothers Stake Their Claim as Bards of the Bayou|John Ed Bradley|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I knew every volume by its colour and examined them all, passing slowly around the library and whistling to keep up my spirits.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
How could this happen to a teenager, guilty of just a little whistling, a little music in the wind?
From Emmett Till to Jordan Davis, a Foolish, Lethal Fear of Black Teens|Joshua DuBois|February 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He went off whistling, and Isabel raised her hand and looked at it meditatively; his own had been unexpectedly warm and magnetic.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Had they been light I should have kept on whistling in that careless way; but now I looked up, startled.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
Whistling over his task, Mr. Chester soon evolved the following "Want Ad."
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond
He went whistling along, therefore, until his steps were suddenly and violently arrested.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
In January, 1899, a Spanish gunboat silently entered the port without the customary whistling and firing of salute.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for whistling

whistling

/ (ˈwɪslɪŋ) /

noun

vet science a breathing defect of horses characterized by a high-pitched sound with each intake of airCompare roaring (def. 6)

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

whistling

Origin of whistling

Words nearby whistling

Words related to whistling

How to use whistling in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whistling