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*fish` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A gossat, or rockling; — called also
whistler, three- bearded rockling, sea loach, and sorghe.