Whis"tle (?), v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Whistled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Whistling (?).] [AS. hwistlian; akin to Sw. hvissla,
Dan. hvisle, Icel. hvīsla to whisper, and E.
whisper. √43. See Whisper.]
1. 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.
The weary plowman leaves the task of day,
And, trudging homeward, whistles on the way.
Gay.
2. To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam
instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill
tone.
3. To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a
sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the
air.
The wild winds whistle, and the billows
roar.
Pope.
Whis"tle, v. t.
1. To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to
whistle a tune or an air.
2. To send, signal, or call by a whistle.
He chanced to miss his dog; we stood still till he had
whistled him up.
Addison.
To whistle off. (a) To dismiss by
a whistle; -- a term in hawking. "AS a long-winged hawk when he is
first whistled off the fist, mounts aloft." Burton.
(b) Hence, in general, to turn loose; to abandon; to
dismiss.
I 'ld whistle her off, and let her down the
wind
To prey at fortune.
Shak.
&fist; "A hawk seems to have been usually sent off in this way,
against the wind when sent in search of prey; with or
down the wind, when turned loose, and abandoned." Nares.
Whis"tle, n. [AS. hwistle a pipe,
flute, whistle. See Whistle, v. i.]
1. 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.
Might we but hear
The folded flocks, penned in their wattled cotes, . . .
Or whistle from the lodge.
Milton.
The countryman could not forbear smiling, . . . and by that
means lost his whistle.
Spectator.
They fear his whistle, and forsake the
seas.
Dryden.
2. 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.
3. 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).
The bells she jingled, and the whistle
blew.
Pope.
4. The mouth and throat; -- so called as being the
organs of whistling. [Colloq.]
So was her jolly whistle well ywet.
Chaucer.
Let's drink the other cup to wet our
whistles.
Walton.
Whistle duck (Zoöl.), the American
golden-eye.
Whis"tle (?), v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Whistled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Whistling (?).] [AS. hwistlian; akin to Sw. hvissla,
Dan. hvisle, Icel. hvīsla to whisper, and E.
whisper. √43. See Whisper.]
1. 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.
The weary plowman leaves the task of day,
And, trudging homeward, whistles on the way.
Gay.
2. To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam
instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill
tone.
3. To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a
sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the
air.
The wild winds whistle, and the billows
roar.
Pope.
Whis"tle, v. t.
1. To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to
whistle a tune or an air.
2. To send, signal, or call by a whistle.
He chanced to miss his dog; we stood still till he had
whistled him up.
Addison.
To whistle off. (a) To dismiss by
a whistle; -- a term in hawking. "AS a long-winged hawk when he is
first whistled off the fist, mounts aloft." Burton.
(b) Hence, in general, to turn loose; to abandon; to
dismiss.
I 'ld whistle her off, and let her down the
wind
To prey at fortune.
Shak.
&fist; "A hawk seems to have been usually sent off in this way,
against the wind when sent in search of prey; with or
down the wind, when turned loose, and abandoned." Nares.
Whis"tle, n. [AS. hwistle a pipe,
flute, whistle. See Whistle, v. i.]
1. 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.
Might we but hear
The folded flocks, penned in their wattled cotes, . . .
Or whistle from the lodge.
Milton.
The countryman could not forbear smiling, . . . and by that
means lost his whistle.
Spectator.
They fear his whistle, and forsake the
seas.
Dryden.
2. 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.
3. 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).
The bells she jingled, and the whistle
blew.
Pope.
4. The mouth and throat; -- so called as being the
organs of whistling. [Colloq.]
So was her jolly whistle well ywet.
Chaucer.
Let's drink the other cup to wet our
whistles.
Walton.
Whistle duck (Zoöl.), the American
golden-eye.
