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8 dictionary results for: Whistle

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

whis·tle

[hwis-uh

l, wis-] Pronunciation Key verb, -tled, -tling, noun

–verb (used without object)

1.	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.

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

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

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

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

–verb (used with object)

6.	to produce by whistling: to whistle a tune.

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

8.	to send with a whistling or whizzing sound.

–noun

9.	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.

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

11.	a simple fipple flute.

—Verb phrase

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

—Idioms

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

14.

blow the whistle on,

a.	to bring a stop to; halt: Congress has blown the whistle on all unnecessary expenditures for the program.

b.	to expose (wrongdoing or wrongdoers): to blow the whistle on corruption in high places.

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

16.	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: bef. 950; (v.) ME whistlen, OE hwistlian; akin to ON hvīsla to whistle, hviskra to whisper; see whine; (n.) ME; OE hwistle instrument, akin to the v.

]

—Related forms

whis·tle·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

whis·tle   (hwĭs'əl, wĭs'-) Pronunciation Key
v.   whis·tled, whis·tling, whis·tles

v.   intr.

To produce a clear musical sound by forcing air through the teeth or through an aperture formed by pursing the lips.
To produce a clear, shrill, sharp musical sound by blowing on or through a device.
1. To produce a high-pitched sound when moving swiftly through the air: The stone whistled past my head.
2. To produce a high-pitched sound by the rapid movement of air through an opening or past an obstruction: Wind whistled through the cracks in the windows.
To emit a shrill, sharp, high-pitched cry, as some birds and other animals.

v. tr.

To produce by whistling: whistle a tune.
To summon, signal, or direct by whistling.
To cause to move with a whistling noise.

1. A small wind instrument for making whistling sounds by means of the breath.
2. A device for making whistling sounds by means of forced air or steam: a factory whistle.
A sound produced by a whistling device or by whistling through the lips.
A whistling sound, as of an animal or a projectile.
The act of whistling.
A whistling sound used to summon or command.

[Middle English whistlen, from Old English hwistlian.]

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
whistle (v.)

O.E. hwistlian, from P.Gmc. *khwis-, of imitative origin. Used also in M.E. of the hissing of serpents. The noun meaning "tubular musical instrument" is from O.E. hwistle. To wet one's whistle "take a drink" (c.1386) originally may have referred to pipes, or be an allusion to the throat as a sort of pipe. To whistle for (with small prospect of getting) is probably from nautical whistling for a wind. Figurative use of whistle-blower first attested 1970. To whistle "Dixie" is from 1940. 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.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

whistle
noun
1.	the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
2.	the act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle; "the whistle signalled the end of the game"
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]
verb
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"
6.	give a signal by whistling; "She whistled for her maid"

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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

whistle

In addition to the idioms beginning with whistle, also see blow the whistle on; clean as a whistle; slick as a whistle; wet one's whistle.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

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