Whistle Definition

wĭsəl, hwĭs-
whistled, whistles, whistling
verb
whistled, whistles, whistling
To make a clear, shrill sound or note, or a series of these, by forcing breath between the teeth or through a narrow opening made by puckering the lips.
Webster's New World
To make a similar sound by sending steam through a small opening.
Webster's New World
To produce a high-pitched sound when moving swiftly through the air.
The stone whistled past my head.
American Heritage
To produce (a tune, etc.) by whistling.
Webster's New World
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.
American Heritage
noun
whistles
An instrument for making whistling sounds, as by forcing the breath or steam through a slit into a cavity or against a thin edge.
Webster's New World
A device for making whistling sounds by means of forced air or steam.
A factory whistle.
American Heritage
A clear, shrill sound made by whistling or blowing a whistle.
Webster's New World
The act of whistling.
Webster's New World
A signal, summons, etc. made by whistling.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
idiom
blow the whistle
  • To expose a wrongdoing in the hope of bringing it to a halt:

    an attorney who blew the whistle on governmental corruption.

American Heritage
whistle in the dark
  • To attempt to keep one's courage up.
American Heritage
blow the whistle (on)
  • to report or inform (on)
  • to cause to stop; call a halt (to)
Webster's New World
clean as a whistle
  • extremely clean
Webster's New World
wet one's whistle
  • to take a drink
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Whistle

Noun

Singular:
whistle
Plural:
whistles

Origin of Whistle

  • Middle English whistlen; Old English hwistlan, from Proto-Germanic *hwistlōną

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English whistlen from Old English hwistlian

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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