whistle en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈʍɪs(ə)l/ without the wine–whine merger
- (California) audio
- [ˈwɪsl̩] wine–whine merger
- /ˈwɪs(ə)l/ wine–whine merger
- (General-American) audio
- [ˈw̥ɪsl̩] without the wine–whine merger
Etymology
From Middle English whistel, whistil, whistle, from Old English hwistle, from the verb (see below).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A device designed to be placed in the mouth and blown, or driven by steam or some other mechanism, to make a whistling sound.
A lovely crisp exhaust: a feeling of almost unlimited power combined with complete freedom of running: and, to crown it all, a most melodious and wholly American chime whistle—these were my immediate impressions as we stormed rapidly out of Göttingen, intent on winning back some of the lost time.
1960 October, P. Ransome-Wallis, “Modern motive power of the German Federal Railway: Part Two”, in Trains Illustrated, page 611:[...] and Temple station, which had to have a very modestly proportioned station building on the insistence of the Duke of Norfolk who owned the land on which it was built, and where the trains under the glass roof of the station were not allowed to blow their whistles, at the insistence of the barristers in the nearby Inns of Court.
2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, pages 61–62:One thing I took great care to observe was obedience to the "whistle" boards which crop up with great frequency, for failure to sound the whistle, if observed by the gendarmerie, can bring about serious consequences.
1961 March, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 151:
- (countable, uncountable) An act of whistling.
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(countable, uncountable) A shrill, high-pitched sound made by whistling.
We expressed our readiness, and in ten minutes were in the station wagon, rolling rapidly down the long drive, for it was then after nine.[…]As we reached the lodge we heard the whistle, and we backed up against one side of the platform as the train pulled up at the other.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
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(countable, uncountable) Any high-pitched sound similar to the sound made by whistling.
the whistle of the wind in the trees
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(Cockney, countable, slang, uncountable) A suit (from whistle and flute).
We soldiers changed into our No.1 dress uniforms, Sid into his best whistle and we set off for the church.
2005, Wally Payne, A Minority of One: A Monkey's Tale Continued:
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(colloquial, countable, uncountable) The mouth and throat; so called as being the organs of whistling.
Let's […] drink the other cup to wet our whistles.
1653, Iz[aak] Wa[lton], The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation. Being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, […], London: […] T. Maxey for Rich[ard] Marriot, […], →OCLC; reprinted as The Compleat Angler (Homo Ludens; 6), Nieuwkoop, South Holland, Netherlands: Miland Publishers, 1969, →ISBN:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| whistles | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
death whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle-stop (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · wolf whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle-belly vengeance (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle graph (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · clean as a whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle-blower (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle and flute (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · swanee whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle walk (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · wet one's whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · slide whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle pig (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistlelike (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · silent whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle board (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · play to the whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · postwhistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle note (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistleless (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · blow the whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · Bird Whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · tin whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · nose whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · chime whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle post (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle register (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · fox whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · worth the whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · not worth a whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · dog whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · green whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · penny whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · pea whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle-pig (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · it's not the whistle that pulls the train (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle-drunk (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · Tenterfield whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · rape whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · bells and whistles (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · slick as a whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · Galton whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · whistle-to-whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · pay for one's whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · pie whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · peanut whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · Galton's whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · sea whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle) · final whistle (Terms derived from the noun whistle)
Translations (269)
ia sibilo (device used to make a whistling sound) · gd fead (sound made by whistling) · ro fluierat (act of whistling) · sh зви̏ждӯк (sound made by whistling) · id siulan (sound made by whistling) · ro fluierat (sound made by whistling) · gd fead (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · sv vissling (act of whistling) · de Pfeifen (sound made by whistling) · sh pìštāljka (device used to make a whistling sound) · as উকি (act of whistling) · ta ஊதல் (device used to make a whistling sound) · cmn 口哨 (act of whistling) · es silbido (act of whistling) · ml ചൂളമടി (act of whistling) · id peluit (device used to make a whistling sound) · es rechifla (sound made by whistling) · ro fluierătură (act of whistling) · az fit (device used to make a whistling sound) · ru свисто́к (sound made by whistling) · bg сви́рене (act of whistling) · cmn 汽笛 (device used to make a whistling sound) · ro fluierare (act of whistling) · pt assobio (act of whistling) · gl pito (device used to make a whistling sound) · br c'hwitelladenn (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · br c'hwitelladenn (sound made by whistling) · sv vissling (sound made by whistling) · fi vihellys (sound made by whistling) · ota دودوك (device used to make a whistling sound) · ko 휘슬 (device used to make a whistling sound) · af fluit (device used to make a whistling sound) · ta ஈசல் (act of whistling) · pt assobiada (act of whistling) · el σφύριγμα (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · fa-ira سوت (device used to make a whistling sound) · tly فوزه (act of whistling) · ru свисто́к (device used to make a whistling sound) · uk сюрчо́к (device used to make a whistling sound) · es pitada (sound made by whistling) · gl asubío (device used to make a whistling sound) · pt assobio (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · ca xiulada (sound made by whistling) · ka სტვენა (sound made by whistling) · ast xiblatu (device used to make a whistling sound) · ast xiblíu (act of whistling) · tl pito (device used to make a whistling sound) · sh пѝшталица (device used to make a whistling sound) · ca xiulet (device used to make a whistling sound) · mk свирка (device used to make a whistling sound) · es pitido (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · pt apito (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · es chifle (device used to make a whistling sound) · es chiflido (sound made by whistling) · haw ʻūlili (device used to make a whistling sound) · ja 呼び子 (device used to make a whistling sound) · br c'hwitelladennoù (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · hu füttyszó (sound made by whistling) · as উকি (sound made by whistling) · sh зви̏ждӯк (act of whistling) · fr sifflement (sound made by whistling) · da fløjt (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · cy chwiban (sound made by whistling) · uk свисто́к (sound made by whistling) · hy սուլիչ (device used to make a whistling sound) · br c'hwitelladennoù (sound made by whistling) · lo ໝາກຫວີດ (device used to make a whistling sound) · fi vihellys (act of whistling) · sh зви̏ждӯк (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · sq fishkëllimë (device used to make a whistling sound) · it fischietto (device used to make a whistling sound) · eo fajfado (act of whistling) · vi huýt (act of whistling) · eu txistu (act of whistling) · alt сыгырт (sound made by whistling) · ms siulan (sound made by whistling) · sh звиждалица (device used to make a whistling sound) · be свіст (act of whistling) · pl piszczałka (device used to make a whistling sound) · de Pfeife (device used to make a whistling sound) · ml ചൂളം (sound made by whistling) · el σφύριγμα (sound made by whistling) · pl świst (act of whistling) · ltg sveļpe (device used to make a whistling sound) · ja 口笛 (sound made by whistling) · yue 雞 /鸡 (device used to make a whistling sound) · cy chwibaniad (sound made by whistling) · sh zvȉždūk (sound made by whistling) · mnb fuloi (device used to make a whistling sound) · twh ꪢꪱꪀꪪꪲꪒ (device used to make a whistling sound) · lv svilpiens (sound made by whistling) · ro fluier (device used to make a whistling sound) · es pitido (sound made by whistling) · ur سِیٹی (act of whistling) · fr sifflements (sound made by whistling) · my ပီပီ (device used to make a whistling sound) · th นกหวีด (device used to make a whistling sound) · ja 笛 (device used to make a whistling sound) · mr शिटी (act of whistling) · mr शिटी (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · gl subiote (device used to make a whistling sound) · it fischio (sound made by whistling) · ja 汽笛 (device used to make a whistling sound) · vec fis-cio (sound made by whistling) · ms wisel (device used to make a whistling sound) · lb Päif (device used to make a whistling sound) · sv visselpipa (device used to make a whistling sound) · th การผิวปาก (act of whistling) · ja 口笛 (act of whistling) · cmn 口笛 (device used to make a whistling sound) · lv svilpe (device used to make a whistling sound) · ast xiblida (act of whistling) · ko 호각 (device used to make a whistling sound) · cs píšťalka (device used to make a whistling sound) · acw صُفِّيرة (device used to make a whistling sound) · ga feadóg (device used to make a whistling sound) · fi vislaus (sound made by whistling) · sh zviždalica (device used to make a whistling sound) · uk свист (sound made by whistling) · ht siflèt (device used to make a whistling sound) · fr sifflet (sound made by whistling) · my ဝီစီ (device used to make a whistling sound) · br c'hwitell (device used to make a whistling sound) · sh zvȉždūk (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · sh звѝжда̄љка (device used to make a whistling sound) · lt švilpimas (act of whistling) · ha usur (device used to make a whistling sound) · ja ホイッスル (device used to make a whistling sound) · be сьвіст (act of whistling) · nb fløyte (device used to make a whistling sound) · de Pfiff (sound made by whistling) · alt сыгырткыш (device used to make a whistling sound) · ltg šviļpuks (device used to make a whistling sound) · ko 호루라기 (act of whistling) · pt apito (sound made by whistling) · fa-ira سوت (act of whistling) · cmn 口哨 (sound made by whistling) · pt assobio (sound made by whistling) · tg ҳуштак (device used to make a whistling sound) · mi ngoio (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · uk свист (device used to make a whistling sound) · vi còi (device used to make a whistling sound) · cy chwibanogl (device used to make a whistling sound) · fi vihellys (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · es pito (device used to make a whistling sound) · de Pfeifen (act of whistling) · ka სასტვენი (device used to make a whistling sound) · uk свист (act of whistling) · he שְׁרִיקָה (act of whistling) · pt assovio (sound made by whistling) · as সুহুৰি (sound made by whistling) · as হুইচেল (device used to make a whistling sound) · mt suffara (device used to make a whistling sound) · mr शिटी (device used to make a whistling sound) · br c'hwitelloù (device used to make a whistling sound) · nl fluittoon (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · sh pìštalica (device used to make a whistling sound) · mr शिटी (sound made by whistling) · ar صَفَّارَة (device used to make a whistling sound) · ru свист (act of whistling) · gl asubío (act of whistling) · pt apito (act of whistling) · mer thirimbi (device used to make a whistling sound) · bg сви́рка (device used to make a whistling sound) · cs píšťala (device used to make a whistling sound) · mi wītara (device used to make a whistling sound) · pl gwizd (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · da fløjte (device used to make a whistling sound) · sh zvȉždūk (act of whistling) · pt apitada (act of whistling) · sv pipa (device used to make a whistling sound) · ko 휘파람 (sound made by whistling) · pl gwizd (act of whistling) · rup fluiarã (device used to make a whistling sound) · cmn 哨子 (device used to make a whistling sound) · ru свист (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · gl asubío (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · ia sibilo (act of whistling) · es silbato (sound made by whistling) · gl chifre (device used to make a whistling sound) · pl gwizdek (device used to make a whistling sound) · ka სტვენა (act of whistling) · es silbido (sound made by whistling) · ltg šviļpaunīks (device used to make a whistling sound) · uk свисто́к (device used to make a whistling sound) · el σφυρίχτρα (device used to make a whistling sound) · el σφύριγμα (act of whistling) · gd feadag (device used to make a whistling sound) · yo súfèé (act of whistling) · sw kipenga (device used to make a whistling sound) · gd feadan (device used to make a whistling sound) · sw filimbi (device used to make a whistling sound) · nn fløyte (device used to make a whistling sound) · ur سِیٹی (device used to make a whistling sound) · sw firimbi (device used to make a whistling sound) · tr ıslık (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · ja 号笛 (device used to make a whistling sound) · ga feadaíl (act of whistling) · pt apito (device used to make a whistling sound) · tr düdük (device used to make a whistling sound) · th เสียงผิวปาก (sound made by whistling) · ka ჩასტვენა (act of whistling) · cmn 口笛 (act of whistling) · yue 哨子 (device used to make a whistling sound) · de Pfeifen (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · cy chwiban (act of whistling) · hy սուլոց (sound made by whistling) · mba pito (device used to make a whistling sound) · ka დასტვენა (act of whistling) · sv vissling (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · fr sifflet (device used to make a whistling sound) · es silbato (device used to make a whistling sound) · fr siffler (act of whistling) · fi pilli (device used to make a whistling sound) · hu sípszó (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · be свісто́к (device used to make a whistling sound) · mi wīhara (device used to make a whistling sound) · lt švilpimas (sound made by whistling) · da fløjt (sound made by whistling) · ru свист (sound made by whistling) · ko 호루라기 (device used to make a whistling sound) · tl sipol (device used to make a whistling sound) · ba һыҙғыртҡыс (device used to make a whistling sound) · ru свисто́к (act of whistling) · ja 口笛 (device used to make a whistling sound) · pt assoviada (act of whistling) · es chifle (sound made by whistling) · da pift (sound made by whistling) · be сьвісто́к (device used to make a whistling sound) · fi viheltäminen (act of whistling) · gl asubío (sound made by whistling) · hu síp (device used to make a whistling sound) · rup fluearã (device used to make a whistling sound) · ur سِیٹی (sound made by whistling) · nl fluitje (device used to make a whistling sound) · gl silbo (act of whistling) · uli hadig (device used to make a whistling sound) · sk hvizd (sound made by whistling) · hi सीटी (sound made by whistling) · lt švilpukas (device used to make a whistling sound) · sh пѝшта̄љка (device used to make a whistling sound) · es pito (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · uk сюрчо́к (sound made by whistling) · de Flöte (device used to make a whistling sound) · eo fajfilo (device used to make a whistling sound) · sk píšťala (device used to make a whistling sound) · sh zvìždāljka (device used to make a whistling sound) · ca xiulo (act of whistling) · rup fluir (device used to make a whistling sound) · sl piščalka (device used to make a whistling sound) · as সুহুৰি (act of whistling) · cmn 口哨 (device used to make a whistling sound) · hi सीटी (act of whistling) · es silbato (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · de Pfiff (sound similar to the sound made by whistling) · sv vissla (device used to make a whistling sound) · pt assovio (act of whistling) · el σφυριξιά (sound made by whistling) · lv svilpošana (act of whistling) · pl gwizd (sound made by whistling) · lo ຫວີດ (device used to make a whistling sound) · es chifla (sound made by whistling) · nl fluittoon (sound made by whistling) · eo fajfo (sound made by whistling) · km កញ្ចែ (device used to make a whistling sound) · de Trillerpfeife (device used to make a whistling sound) · yi פֿײַפֿל (device used to make a whistling sound) · ru гудо́к (device used to make a whistling sound) · hi सीटी (device used to make a whistling sound)