Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense whistles, present participle whistling, past tense, past participle whistled
1. verb
When you whistle or when you whistle a tune, you make a series of musical notes by forcing your breath out between your lips, or your teeth.
He whistled and sang snatches of songs. [VERB]
He was whistling softly to himself. [VERB]
As he washed, he whistled a tune. [VERB noun]
2. verb
When someone whistles, they make a sound by forcing their breath out between their lips or their teeth.People sometimes whistle when they are surprised or shocked, or to call a dog, or to show that they are impressed.
He whistled, surprised but not shocked. [VERB]
Jenkins whistled through his teeth, impressed at last. [VERB preposition]
Women don't enjoy being whistled at. [VERB preposition]
Whistle is also a noun.
Jackson gave a low whistle.
3. See also wolf-whistle
4. verb
If something such as a train or a kettle whistles, it makes a loud, high sound.
Somewhere a train whistled. [VERB]
...the whistling car radio. [VERB-ing]
whistlingsingular noun
...the whistling of the wind.
5. verb
If something such as the wind or a bullet whistles somewhere, it moves there, making a loud, high sound.
The wind was whistling through the building. [VERB preposition]
As I stood up a bullet whistled past my back. [VERB preposition]
6. countable noun
A whistle is a loud sound produced by air or steam being forced through a small opening, or by something moving quickly through the air.
Hugh listened to the whistle of a train. [+ of]
...the whistle of the wind. [+ of]
...a shrill whistle from the boiling kettle.
7. countable noun
A whistle is a small metal tube which you blow in order to produce a loud sound and attract someone's attention.
On the platform, the guard blew his whistle.
The referee blew his whistle for a penalty.
8. countable noun
Some factories and other places where people work have a whistle which signals the beginning and the end of the working day.
Every night you could hear the whistles of the steel mill.
9. countable noun
A whistle is a simple musical instrument in the shape of a metal pipe with holes. You play the whistle by blowing into it.
10. See also tin whistle
11.
See to blow the whistle
12. See also whistle-blower
13.
See sb can whistle for sth
14.
See clean as a whistle
15.
See clean as a whistle
16.
See whistling in the dark
17.
See to wet your whistle
18.
See whistle in the wind
whistle in British English
(ˈwɪsəl)
verb
1.
to produce (shrill or flutelike musical sounds), as by passing breath through a narrow constriction most easily formed by the pursed lips
he whistled a melody
2. (transitive)
to signal, summon, or command by whistling or blowing a whistle
the referee whistled the end of the game
3.
(of a kettle, train, etc) to produce (a shrill sound) caused by the emission of steam through a small aperture
4. (intransitive)
to move with a whistling sound caused by rapid passage through the air
5.
(of animals, esp birds) to emit (a shrill sound) resembling human whistling
6. whistle in the dark
noun
7.
a device for making a shrill high-pitched sound by means of air or steam under pressure
8.
a shrill sound effected by whistling
9.
a whistling sound, as of a bird, bullet, the wind, etc
10.
a signal, warning, command, etc, transmitted by or as if by a whistle
11.
the act of whistling
12. music
any pipe that is blown down its end and produces sounds on the principle of a flue pipe, usually having as a mouthpiece a fipple cut in the side
13. wet one's whistle
14. blow the whistle
Word origin
Old English hwistlian; related to Old Norse hvīsla
whistle in American English
(ˈhwɪsəl; ˈwɪsəl)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈwhistled or ˈwhistling
1.
a.
to make a clear, shrill sound or note, or a series of these, by forcing breath between the teethor through a narrow opening made by puckering the lips
b.
to make a similar sound by sending steam through a small opening
2.
to make a clear, shrill cry
said of some birds and animals
3.
to move, pass, go, etc. with a high, shrill sound, as the wind
4.
a.
to blow a whistle
b.
to have its whistle blown
the train whistled
verb transitive
5.
to produce (a tune, etc.) by whistling
6.
to summon, signal, direct, etc. by whistling
noun
7.
an instrument for making whistling sounds, as by forcing the breath or steam througha slit into a cavity or against a thin edge
8.
a clear, shrill sound made by whistling or blowing a whistle
9.
the act of whistling
10.
a signal, summons, etc. made by whistling
11.
a whistling sound, as of the wind
Idioms:
blow the whistle (on)
wet one's whistle
whistle for
whistle in the dark
Derived forms
whistleable (ˈwhistleable)
adjective
Word origin
ME whistlen < OE hwistlian: for IE base see whisper
This lot are incapable of giving up the ghost until the final whistle has blown.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The whistling winds and sheets of rain mean our sash windows have a life expectancy of two years before they rot.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It was all very polite, but all very brutal when the first whistle sounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Why don't executives blow the whistle while still in the job?
The Sun (2016)
Why didn't more parents blow the whistle?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The ref blows his whistle and you think it's all over.
The Sun (2016)
That could be a five or six-point advantage before a whistle is blown.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A whistling east wind drove us along the beach.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The Blues were subsequently penalised and the half-time whistle sounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The new man, now on the inside, will blow the whistle.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The sound of the whistle is becoming scarce.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He had lots of them and spent most of the day whistling and shouting at them.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You do your job until you hear the whistle.
The Sun (2012)
When the whistle got louder you knew you were beat.
The Sun (2016)
You get the wind whistling around it and you are snug and warm.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The fun began the moment the final whistle sounded.
Moynihan, John Kevin Keegan - Black and White (1993)
When did you last hear a milkman whistling a current pop tune?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
And cricket bats that emit a loud and piercing whistle to keep the crowd awake.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We might as well have been whistling in the wind.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
At the sound of five whistles they were to make the rush.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Soon the fire was lit, a tea kettle whistling.
Kevin Cook Tommy's Honour: The Extraordinary Story of Golf's Founding Father and Son (2007)
In the distance, a train whistle sounds.
Christianity Today (2000)
Birds are whistling, got to be early.
The Sun (2006)
You'll be whistling it all day.
The Sun (2011)
The train 's whistle almost disappoints.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The most exercise I get is blowing the whistle at the end.
The Sun (2008)
The grandfather stood under the door, watching her, when suddenly a shrill whistle was heard.
Johanna Spyri Heidi (1881)
Word lists with
whistle
instrument
In other languages
whistle
British English: whistle /ˈwɪsl/ NOUN
A whistle is a small metal tube which you blow in order to produce a loud sound and attract someone's attention.
The guard blew his whistle and the train started to move.
American English: whistle
Arabic: صَفَّارَة
Brazilian Portuguese: apito
Chinese: 口哨
Croatian: zvižduk
Czech: píšťalka
Danish: fløjte til at afgive signal
Dutch: fluitje
European Spanish: silbato
Finnish: vihellys
French: sifflet
German: Pfeife
Greek: σφυρίχτρα
Italian: fischietto
Japanese: 口笛
Korean: 호루라기
Norwegian: fløyte
Polish: gwizdek
European Portuguese: apito
Romanian: fluier
Russian: свист
Latin American Spanish: silbato
Swedish: vissling
Thai: นกหวีด
Turkish: ıslık
Ukrainian: свисток
Vietnamese: tiếng huýt sáo
British English: whistle /ˈwɪsl/ VERB
When you whistle, you make sounds by forcing your breath out between your lips or teeth.
He whistled a tune.
He whistled, surprised but not shocked.
American English: whistle
Arabic: يَصْفِرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: assobiar
Chinese: 吹口哨
Croatian: zviždati
Czech: pískat
Danish: fløjte
Dutch: fluiten
European Spanish: silbar
Finnish: viheltää
French: siffler
German: pfeifen
Greek: σφυρίζω
Italian: fischiare
Japanese: 口笛を吹く
Korean: 휘파람을 불다
Norwegian: plystre
Polish: gwizdnąć
European Portuguese: assobiar
Romanian: a fluiera
Russian: свистеть
Latin American Spanish: silbar
Swedish: vissla
Thai: ผิวปาก
Turkish: ıslık çalmak
Ukrainian: свистіти
Vietnamese: huýt sáo
All related terms of 'whistle'
dog-whistle
relating to the targeting of potentially controversial messages to specific voters while avoiding offending those voters with whom the message will not be popular
tin whistle
A tin whistle is a simple musical instrument in the shape of a metal pipe with holes . You play the tin whistle by blowing into it. Tin whistles make a high sound and are often used in folk music , for example Irish music.
whistle for
to seek or expect in vain
whistle up
to call or summon (a person or animal) by whistling
final whistle
→ the final whistle
penny whistle
a type of flageolet with six finger holes, esp a cheap one made of metal
slide whistle
a tubular whistle with a sliding mechanism that can be moved up or down to create a glissando effect
steam whistle
a type of whistle sounded by a blast of steam , as used formerly in factories , on locomotives , etc
whistle Dixie
to indulge in unrealistically optimistic fantasies
whistle stop
If someone, especially a politician , goes on a whistle-stop tour , they visit a lot of different places in a short time.
wolf whistle
If someone wolf-whistles , they make a whistling sound with a short rising note and a longer falling note. Some people wolf-whistle to show that they find someone attractive .
Swanee whistle
→ another name for slide whistle
whistle blower
A whistle-blower is someone who finds out that the organization they are working for is doing something immoral or illegal and tells the authorities or the public about it.
whistle-blowing
Whistle-blowing is the act of telling the authorities or the public that the organization you are working for is doing something immoral or illegal .
whistle-stopped
to campaign for office by visiting many small towns to give short speeches
whistle-stopping
to campaign for office by visiting many small towns to give short speeches
blow the whistle
to inform (on)
the final whistle
a blast on a referee's whistle to indicate that a game is over
wet one's whistle
to take an alcoholic drink
clean as a whistle
If you describe something as clean as a whistle , you mean that it is completely clean.
blow the whistle (on)
to report or inform (on)
to blow the whistle
If you blow the whistle on someone, or on something secret or illegal , you tell another person, especially a person in authority , what is happening .
to wet your whistle
To wet your whistle means to have a drink .
whistle in the dark
to try not to show that you are afraid , or to try to believe that a situation is not as bad as it seems
whistle in the wind
If you describe someone as whistling in the wind , you mean that they are trying unsuccessfully to change something which cannot be changed.
sb can whistle for sth
If you say that someone can whistle for a particular thing, you mean that you are not willing or able to give it to them.
blow the whistle on someone or something
to tell the authorities about something secret or illegal , or someone who is doing something illegal, dishonest , or immoral because you feel strongly that what they are doing is wrong and they should be stopped