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. [1913 Webster]
"The weary plowman leaves the task of day,
And, trudging homeward, whistles on the way." [1913 Webster]
To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill tone. [1913 Webster]
To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the air. [1913 Webster]
"The wild winds whistle, and the billows roar." [1913 Webster]

whistle, v. t.

To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or an air. [1913 Webster]
To send, signal, or call by a whistle. [1913 Webster]
" “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. " Nares. [1913 Webster]

"He chanced to miss his dog; we stood still till he had whistled him up." [1913 Webster]

"I 'ld whistle her off, and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune." [1913 Webster]

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.

whistle, n. [AS. hwistle a pipe, flute, whistle. See 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. [1913 Webster]
"Might we but hear
The folded flocks, penned in their wattled cotes, . . .
Or whistle from the lodge." [1913 Webster]

"The countryman could not forbear smiling, . . . and by that means lost his whistle." [1913 Webster]

"They fear his whistle, and forsake the seas." [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
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). [1913 Webster]
"The bells she jingled, and the whistle blew." [1913 Webster]
The mouth and throat; -- so called as being the organs of whistling. [1913 Webster]
"So was her jolly whistle well ywet." [1913 Webster]

"Let's drink the other cup to wet our whistles." [1913 Webster]

Whistle duck (Zoöl.), the American golden-eye.

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

whistle, n. & v.
--n.
1 a clear shrill sound made by forcing breath through a small hole between nearly closed lips.
2 a similar sound made by a bird, the wind, a missile, etc.
3 an instrument used to produce such a sound.
--v.
1 intr. emit a whistle.
2 a intr. give a signal or express surprise or derision by whistling. b tr. (often foll. by up) summon or give a signal to (a dog etc.) by whistling.
3 tr. (also absol.) produce (a tune) by whistling.
4 intr. (foll. by for) vainly seek or desire.

Idiom

as clean (or clear or dry) as a whistle very clean or clear or dry. blow the whistle on colloq. bring (an activity) to an end; inform on (those responsible). whistle down the wind
1 let go, abandon.
2 turn (a hawk) loose. whistle in the dark pretend to be unafraid.
whistle-stop
1 US a small unimportant town on a railway.
2 a politician's brief pause for an electioneering speech on tour.
3 (attrib.) with brief pauses (a whistle-stop tour). whistling kettle a kettle fitted with a whistle sounded by steam when the kettle is boiling.

Etymology

OE (h)wistlian (v.), (h)wistle (n.) of imit. orig.: cf. ON hv{iacute}sla whisper, MSw. hvisla whistle

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THESAURUS

whistle

Angelus, Angelus bell, English horn, Klaxon, Mayday, Pandean pipe, SOS, air-raid alarm, alarm, alarm bell, alarm clock, alarm signal, alarum, alert, all clear, anthem, assibilation, aulos, bagpipe, ballad, basset horn, basset oboe, bassoon, battle cry, bay, beacon, beam, beep, bell, birdcall, birdies, blare, blast, blat, blinking light, blooping, blow, blow a horn, blow the horn, blurping, boiler factory, boiler room, bombard, boo, bray, bugle, bugle call, bull-roarer, burglar alarm, buzz, buzzer, cackle, call, caper, caracole, carillon, carol, catcall, caterwaul, caw, chant, chatter, cheep, cherry bomb, chirk, chirp, chirr, chirrup, chitter, choir, chorus, chuck, clack, clacker, clap hands, clapper, clarinet, clarion, cluck, cock-a-doodle-doo, contrabassoon, contrafagotto, coo, cracker, creak, cricket, croak, cromorne, cronk, croon, crostarie, crow, cuckoo, dance, delight, descant, distortion, do-re-mi, doodle, double bassoon, double reed, double-tongue, drum, effervesce, effervescence, effervescing, exult, fanfare, feedback, fiery cross, fife, fipple flute, fire alarm, fire bell, fire flag, firecracker, five-minute gun, fizz, fizzle, fizzling, flageolet, flashing light, flourish of trumpets, flute, flutter, fluttering, fog bell, fog signal, foghorn, frication, frictional rustling, frisk, frolic, gabble, gaggle, gale warning, gambol, give the bird, give the raspberry, glory, glow, gobble, groan, growl, guggle, hautboy, heckelphone, hiss, hissing, honk, hoo, hoot, hooter, horn, hornpipe, howl, howling, hue and cry, hum, hurricane warning, hush, hushing, hymn, intonate, intone, joy, jubilate, keen, last post, laugh, licorice stick, lighthouse, lilt, lip, lisp, minstrel, moan, moose call, motorboating, murmur, musette, mutter, noisemaker, note of alarm, oaten reed, oboe, oboe da caccia, ocarina, occulting light, panpipe, peal, peep, penny-whistle, piccolo, pip, pipe, police whistle, pommer, psalm, quack, quaver, radiate cheer, rallying cry, rattle, rattlebox, rebel yell, recorder, reed, reed instrument, rejoice, reveille, revel, rhonchus, roar, roll, rollick, romp, roulade, rumble, sax, saxophone, scold, scratching, screak, scream, screech, serenade, shake, shawm, shredding, shriek, shrill, shush, shushing, sibilance, sibilate, sibilation, siffle, sigh, sigmatism, signal of distress, sing, sing in chorus, single reed, single-reed instrument, siren, siss, sissing, sizz, sizzle, sizzling, skip, skip for joy, skirl, skreigh, small-craft warning, smile, snapper, snarl, sneeze, sneezing, sniff, sniffle, snore, snort, snuff, snuffle, sob, sol-fa, solmizate, sonorophone, sough, sound, sound a tattoo, sound taps, sparkle, spit, splutter, sputter, squash, squawk, squeak, squeal, squeals, squelch, squish, static, steam whistle, sternutation, stertor, still alarm, storm cone, storm flag, storm warning, summons, sweet potato, swish, syrinx, tabor pipe, tantara, tantarara, taps, tarantara, tattoo, tenoroon, ticktack, tin-whistle, tocsin, tongue, toot, tootle, tremolo, trill, triple-tongue, troll, trumpet, trumpet blast, trumpet call, tweedle, tweedledee, tweet, twit, twitter, two-minute gun, ululate, ululation, upside-down flag, vocalize, wail, war cry, warble, wheeze, whine, whish, whisper, whistle at, whistles, whistling, white noise, whiz, whizgig, whizzer, whoosh, wind, wind the horn, woods, woodwind, woodwind choir, woodwind instrument, woomping, wow, wowwows, wrawl, yammer, yodel, zip

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ROGET THESAURUS

whistle

Sibilation

VB hiss, buzz, whiz, rustle, fizz, fizzle, wheeze, whistle, snuffle, squash, sneeze, sizzle, swish.

Ululation

VB cry, roar, bellow, blare, rebellow, growl, snarl, bark, bow-wow, yelp, bay, bay at the moon, yap, yip, yipe, growl, yarr, yawl, snarl, howl, grunt, gruntle, snort, squeak neigh, whinny, bray, mew, mewl, meow, purr, caterwaul, pule, baa, bleat, low, moo, troat, croak, peep, coo, gobble, quack, honk, gaggle, guggle, crow, caw, squawk, screech cackle, cluck, clack, chuck, chuckle, hoot, hoo, chirp, cheep, chirrup, twitter, cuckoo, warble, trill, tweet, pipe, whistle, hum, buzz, hiss, blatter, ratatat.

Musician

VB play, pipe, strike up, sweep the chords, tweedle, fiddle, strike the lyre, beat the drum, blow the horn, sound the horn, wind the horn, doodle, grind the organ, touch the guitar, thrum, strum, beat time, execute, perform, accompany, sing a second, play a second, compose, set to music, arrange, sing, chaunt, chant, hum, warble, carol, chirp, chirrup, lilt, purl, quaver, trill, shake, twitter, whistle, sol-fa, intone, have an ear for music, have a musical ear, have a correct ear.

Musical Instruments

N musical instruments, band, string-band, brass-band, orchestra, orchestrina, monochord, polychord, harp, lyre, lute, archlute, mandola, mandolin, mandoline, guitar, zither, cither, cithern, gittern, rebeck, bandurria, bandura, banjo, bina, vina, xanorphica, viol, violin, fiddle, kit, viola, viola d'amore, viola di gamba, tenor, cremona, violoncello, bass, bass viol, base viol, theorbo, double base, contrabasso, violone, psaltery, bow, fiddlestick, piano, pianoforte, harpsichord, clavichord, clarichord, manichord, clavier, spinet, virginals, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, vielle, pianino, Eolian harp, organ, harmonium, harmoniphon, American organ, barrel organ, hand organ, accordion, seraphina, concertina, humming top, flute, fife, piccolo, flageolet, clarinet, claronet, basset horn, corno di bassetto, oboe, hautboy, cor Anglais, corno Inglese, bassoon, double bassoon, contrafagotto, serpent, bass clarinet, bagpipes, union pipes, musette, ocarina, Pandean pipes, reed instrument, sirene, pipe, pitch-pipe, sourdet, whistle, catcall, doodlesack, harmoniphone, horn, bugle, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, cornopean, clarion, trumpet, trombone, ophicleide, French horn, saxophone, sax, buglehorn, saxhorn, flugelhorn, althorn, helicanhorn, posthorn, sackbut, euphonium, bombardon tuba, cymbal, bell, gong, tambour, tambourine, tamborine, drum, tom-tom, tabor, tabret, tabourine, taborin, side drum, kettle drum, timpani, tympani, tymbal, timbrel, castanet, bones, musical glasses, musical stones, harmonica, sounding-board, rattle, tam-tam, zambomba, reed, tuning fork, triangle, Jew's harp, musical box, harmonicon, xylophone, sordine, sordet, sourdine, sourdet, mute, (iv) PERCEPTION OF SOUND.

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