whistle

[wɪsl̩]

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A whistle is a high-pitched sound made by forcing air through your mouth or using an object.

When someone blows their whistle, it's often to get attention - like a referee on the sports field to stop play. You might also hear a train whistle in the distance, or a security guard blowing their whistle to alert others of something suspicious. Even children use whistles to summon friends or parents. Whistles can be loud and sharp, so they tend to cut through noise and get people's attention right away.

How common is "whistle"?

Word whistle is considered uncommon in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

noun

A device designed to be placed in the mouth and blown, or driven by steam or some other mechanism, to make a whistling sound.
An act of whistling.
A shrill, high-pitched sound made by whistling.
Any high-pitched sound similar to the sound made by whistling.
Example: the whistle of the wind in the trees
A suit (from whistle and flute).
The mouth and throat; so called as being the organs of whistling.

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verb

To make a shrill, high-pitched sound by forcing air through the mouth. To produce a whistling sound, restrictions to the flow of air are created using the teeth, tongue and lips.
Example: Never whistle at a funeral.
To make a similar sound by forcing air through a musical instrument or a pipe etc.
Example: The stream train whistled as it passed by.
To move in such a way as to create a whistling sound.
Example: A bullet whistled past.
To send, signal, or call by a whistle.

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Real examples of "whistle" in context

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whistle

How common is "whistle"?

noun

verb

Real examples of "whistle" in context

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