Whistling

whis·tle  (hwsl, ws-)

v. whis·tled, whis·tling, whis·tles

v.intr.

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.

a. To produce a high-pitched sound when moving swiftly through the air: The stone whistled past my head.

b. 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.

4. To emit a shrill, sharp, high-pitched cry, as some birds and other animals.

v.tr.

1. To produce by whistling: whistle a tune.

2. To summon, signal, or direct by whistling.

3. To cause to move with a whistling noise.

n.

1.

a. A small wind instrument for making whistling sounds by means of the breath.

b. A device for making whistling sounds by means of forced air or steam: a factory whistle.

2. A sound produced by a whistling device or by whistling through the lips.

3. A whistling sound, as of an animal or a projectile.

4. The act of whistling.

5. A whistling sound used to summon or command.

Idioms:

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.

whistle in the dark

To attempt to keep one's courage up.

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[Middle English whistlen, from Old English hwistlian.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	whistling - the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture whistle sound - the sudden occurrence of an audible event; "the sound awakened them"
	2.	whistling - the act of whistling a tune; "his cheerful whistling indicated that he enjoyed his work" music - musical activity (singing or whistling etc.); "his music was his central interest"
	3.	whistling - the act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle; "the whistle signalled the end of the game" whistle signal, signaling, sign - any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message; "signals from the boat suddenly stopped"