Whistle

English Meaning

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.

1. To produce a clear musical sound by forcing air through the teeth or through an aperture formed by pursing the lips.
2. To produce a clear, shrill, sharp musical sound by blowing on or through a device.
3. To produce a high-pitched sound when moving swiftly through the air: The stone whistled past my head.
4. To produce a high-pitched sound by the rapid movement of air through an opening or past an obstruction: Wind whistled through the cracks in the windows.
5. To emit a shrill, sharp, high-pitched cry, as some birds and other animals.
6. To produce by whistling: whistle a tune.
7. To summon, signal, or direct by whistling.
8. To cause to move with a whistling noise.
9. A small wind instrument for making whistling sounds by means of the breath.
10. A device for making whistling sounds by means of forced air or steam: a factory whistle.
11. A sound produced by a whistling device or by whistling through the lips.
12. A whistling sound, as of an animal or a projectile.
13. The act of whistling.
14. A whistling sound used to summon or command.
15. blow the whistle Slang To expose a wrongdoing in the hope of bringing it to a halt: an attorney who blew the whistle on governmental corruption.
16. whistle in the dark To attempt to keep one's courage up.