Whistle

['wɪs(ə)l] or ['wɪsl]

Definition

(noun.) acoustic device that forces air or steam against an edge or into a cavity and so produces a loud shrill sound.

(noun.) a small wind instrument that produces a whistling sound by blowing into it.

(noun.) the act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle; 'the whistle signalled the end of the game'.

(noun.) the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture.

(verb.) utter or express by whistling; 'She whistled a melody'.

(verb.) give a signal by whistling; 'She whistled for her maid'.

(verb.) make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound; 'the kettle was singing'; 'the bullet sang past his ear'.

(verb.) move with, or as with, a whistling sound; 'The bullets whistled past him'.

(verb.) move, send, or bring as if by whistling; 'Her optimism whistled away these worries'.

(verb.) make whistling sounds; 'He lay there, snoring and whistling'.

Checked by Bertrand--From WordNet

Definition

(v. i.) 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.

(v. i.) To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill tone.

(v. i.) To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the air.

(v. t.) To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or an air.

(v. t.) To send, signal, or call by a whistle.

(v. i.) 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.

(v. i.) 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.

(v. i.) 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).

(v. i.) The mouth and throat; -- so called as being the organs of whistling.

Edited by Edward

Definition

v.i. to make a shrill sound by forcing the breath through the lips contracted: to make a like sound with an instrument: to sound shrill: to inform by whistling to become informer.—v.t. to form or utter by whistling: to call by a whistle.—n. the sound made in whistling: a small wind instrument: an instrument sounded by escaping steam used for signalling on railway-engines steamships &c.—adj. Whis′tle-drunk (obs.) too drunk to whistle.—ns. Whis′tle-fish a rockling; Whis′tler one who or that which whistles: a kind of marmot: a broken-winded horse; Whis′tling.—adv. Whis′tlingly.—n. Whis′tling-shop (slang) a shebeen the keeper being called a whistler.—Whistle down the wind to talk to no purpose; Whistle for to summon by whistling; Whistle for a wind a superstitious practice of old sailors during a calm; Whistle off to send off by a whistle: (Shak.) turn loose.—Go whistle (Shak.) to go to the deuce; Pay for one's whistle to pay highly for one's caprice; Pigs and whistles an exclamation equivalent to 'The deuce!' or the like—also in phrase 'To make pigs and whistles of anything'=to make a sad mess of it; Wet one's whistle (coll.) to take a drink of liquor; Worth the whistle worth the trouble of calling for.

Checker: Noelle