whistling

[hwis-ling, wis-]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that whistles.

2. the sound produced.

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

whistling

/ ˈwɪslɪŋ /

noun

1. vet science a breathing defect of horses characterized by a high-pitched sound with each intake of air Compare roaring

Word History and Origins

Origin of whistling¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English hwistlung. See whistle, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Over the radio they could hear the man whistling a pop song.

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"The wind is whistling and there are sounds of things falling. The electricity went out about an hour ago, and we cannot see anything."

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“People are sort of whistling past the graveyard of some real risks out there for the economy,” said Dean Smith, chief strategist at FolioBeyond.

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"They started circling and whistling, imitating animals, many different types of birds," Tomas recalls.

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The whistling serves a dual purpose: It signals to migrants and others concerned that they could get swept up in one of the raids to avoid the area.

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