I. whis‧tle¹ /ˈwɪsəl/ verb

1. HIGH SOUND [intransitive and transitive] to make a high or musical sound by blowing air out through your lips:
Adam whistled happily on his way to work.
I heard this song on the radio and I’ve been whistling it all day.
He whistled a tune as he strolled down the corridor.
whistle to somebody (=whistle to get someone’s attention)
Dad whistled to us to come home for dinner.
whistle at somebody (=whistle to let someone know that you think they are attractive)
Men are always whistling at Heidi on the street.

2. USE A WHISTLE [intransitive] to make a high sound by blowing into a whistle:
The referee whistled and the game began.

3. GO/MOVE FAST [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move quickly, making a whistling sound:
Bullets and shells were whistling overhead.
They listened to the wind whistling through the trees.

4. STEAM TRAIN/KETTLE [intransitive] if a steam train or kettle whistles, it makes a high sound when air or steam is forced through a small hole

5. BIRD [intransitive] if a bird whistles, it makes a high musical sound

6. be whistling in the dark informal to be trying to show that you are brave when you are afraid, or that you know about something when you do not:
Does he know what he’s talking about or is he just whistling in the dark?

7. somebody can whistle for something British English spoken used to tell someone that there is no chance of them getting what they have asked for

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. whistle² noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: hwistle]

1. a small object that produces a high whistling sound when you blow into it:
The lifeguard blew his whistle.

2. a high sound made by blowing a whistle, by blowing air out through your lips, or when air or steam is forced through a small opening:
Larsson scored just minutes before the final whistle.
low/shrill/high-pitched etc whistle
Sanders gave a low whistle when he saw the contents of the box.

3. a piece of equipment on a train or boat that makes a high noise when air is forced through it

4. the sound of something moving quickly through the air
whistle of
We could hear the whistle of the jets as they passed overhead.
⇒ blow the whistle on something at blow¹(17), ⇒ clean as a whistle at clean¹(1), ⇒ penny whistle, wolf whistle

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

whistle
noun
I. small metal/plastic tube that you blow
ADJ. dog, factory, police, train | guard's, referee's, etc. | steam | penny, tin
VERB + WHISTLE blow (on), sound A train sounded its whistle in the distance.
WHISTLE + VERB blow, go, sound The referee's whistle went just before he shot the goal.
PHRASES a blast on a whistle He gave a short blast on his whistle.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

whistle
II. clear high-pitched sound
ADJ. loud | high, high-pitched, piercing, shrill | low | long | short | silent He pursed his lips in a silent whistle.
tuneless | wolf | final (sport) They scored their only goal just before the final whistle.
VERB + WHISTLE give, let out | hear
PREP. with a ~ The train entered the tunnel with a shrill whistle.
~ of She gave a low whistle of admiration.
 ⇒ Note at SOUND

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

whistle
verb
ADV. loudly | softly, under your breath | through your teeth Norma looked at the parcel and whistled softly through her teeth.
cheerfully | tunelessly
VERB + WHISTLE begin to | hear sb
PREP. at Men whistled at her in the street.
in James whistled in amazement.
to William whistled to me from a distance.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

whistle
ˈwɪsl
See: blow the whistle on , wet one's whistle

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲