Definition of whistle
- 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.