pigs and whistles

Wrack and ruin

whistle /(h)wisˈl/

1. To make a shrill sound by forcing the breath through the pursed lips or the teeth
2. To make this sound in derision, etc
3. To make this sound as a call or signal
4. (of a bird) to pipe, sing
5. To make a similar sound with a wind instrument or other device
6. (of eg the wind) to make a shrill sound
7. To whizz through the air
8. To become an informer (informal)
9. To give a landlord information that leads to raising rent (Walter Scott)

1. To perform, utter or express by whistling
2. To summon with a whistle (often with up)
3. To send with a whistling sound

1. An act of whistling
2. The sound made in whistling, or any similar sound
3. Any of many devices producing a similar sound, eg one operated by steam on a railway locomotive or a kettle, or one blown by a referee to regulate play on the pitch
4. A simple wind instrument consisting of a wooden or metal pipe with finger holes
5. A summons
6. The throat (slang)

whisˈtleable adjective

whisˈtled adjective (slang)

Drunk

whisˈtler noun

1. Someone or something that whistles
2. A whistling sound that descends in pitch, caused by the radiation produced by lightning flashes (radio)
3. A large kind of marmot
4. A broken-winded horse
5. Another name for the thickhead
6. A mythical bird whose whistle is fatal to the hearer (Spenser)

whisˈtling noun

whisˈtlingly adverb

whisˈtle-blower noun (informal)

Someone who blows the whistle on someone or something

whisˈtle-blowing noun and adjective (informal).

whisˈtle-drunk or whisˈtled-drunk adjective (obsolete)

Too drunk to whistle

whistle fish noun

A rockling

whistle stop noun (informal)

1. A small town or railway station, where trains stop only by signal
2. Hence whistle-stop speech an electioneering speech made on tour (orig at railway stations), and whistle-stop tour orig such an electioneering tour, now any rapid tour involving brief stops at many places

whisˈtle-stop intransitive verb

(of a political candidate) to make an electioneering tour with many brief personal appearances

whistling kettle noun

A kettle whose spout is fitted with a device that gives a whistling sound when steam escapes through it, indicating that the water in it is boiling

whisˈtling-shop noun (slang)

Somewhere such as a room in a prison, where liquor was sold without a licence

whistling swan noun

An American swan with a melodious whistling call

blow the whistle (with on; informal)

1. To expose or give information usu to the authorities about (illegal or underhand practices)
2. To declare (something) illegal, underhand or otherwise unacceptable

boatswain's whistle

(also pipe, call) a whistle of special shape used by a boatswain or boatswain's-mate to summon sailors to various duties

go whistle (Shakespeare)

To go to the devil

pay for one's whistle

To pay highly for one's caprice (from Benjamin Franklin's story of a whistle he, as a boy, bought at an exorbitant price)

pigs and whistles see under pig²

wet one's whistle (informal)

To take an alcoholic drink

whistle away see whistle off below.

whistle down the wind

1. (from the practice of casting a hawk off down the wind when turning it loose) to abandon or let go
2. To talk to no purpose

whistle for

1. To summon by whistling
2. To ask for or expect in vain (informal)

whistle for a wind

A superstitious practice of old sailors during a calm

whistle in the dark

To do something to quell one's fear

whistle in the wind

To make a futile attempt to achieve the impossible

whistle off or whistle away

1. To send off or dismiss by, or as if by, a whistle (falconry)
2. To turn loose
3. To abandon

worth the whistle

Worth the trouble of calling for