whistle

Pronunciation: /ˈwɪs(ə)l/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
  2. noun the act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle
  3. noun a small wind instrument that produces a whistling sound by blowing into it

Etymology

From Middle English whistel, whistil, whistle, from Old English hwistle, from the verb (see below).

In classic literature

Synonyms

whistling

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
sound

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