Forms: 1 hwistlian, hwys(t)lian, huislian, wistlian, 4 wystel, whysle, 4–5 Sc. quhistle, 4–6 whistil(l, whissil(l, 4–7 whistel(l, 5 whistyll(e, 5–6 whystel(l, whystle, Sc. quhissil(l, quhisle, 5–7 wistle, 6 wyssel, 6–7 whissel(l, Sc. quhissel(l, 8 Sc. whissle, 9 Sc. whussle, 4– whistle. [OE. hwis(t)lian, also wistlian, f. an echoic root + -LE 3. Cf. ON. hvísla to whisper, MSw. hvisla, Sw. vissla to whistle, Da. hvisle to hiss.]
I. Literal senses.
1. intr. To utter a clear, more or less shrill sound or note by forcing the breath through the narrow opening formed by contracting the lips (the tone being produced merely by the resonance of the mouth-cavity, without vibration of the vocal cords): esp. as a call or signal to a person or animal, also as an expression of derision, contempt, etc., later more usually of surprise or astonishment; also, to utter a melody or tune consisting of a succession of such notes, esp. by way of idle diversion.
The common superstitious practice among sailors to whistle for a wind during a calm, and to refrain from whistling during a gale, is referred to in quots. c. 1515, etc.
c. 1000. Gloss. Prudentius in Germania (N.S.), XI. 398/176. Hwyslaþ, exsibilat.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 258. Wistlað of þam dæle þe þæt sar bið.
1382. Wyclif, Isa. v. 26. He shall whistle [1388 hisse] to hym fro the coestes of the erthe; and lo! hastid he shal come swiftli.
a. 1400. Octouian, 1436. Clement nere the stede stapte, He whyslede and hys hondys clapte.
c. 1400. Beryn, 3418. Geffrey … was evir wistlyng att euery pase comyng.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., cxxxv. The foulere quhistlith in his throte Diuersely.
c. 1515. Cocke Lorell’s B. (Percy Soc.), 12. Some stered at the helme behynde Some whysteled after the wynde.
1549[?]. Cranmer, Serm., Wks. (Parker Soc., 1846), 198. If we take it for a Canterbury tale,… why do we not laugh it out of place, and whistle at it?
1570. Satir. Poems Reform., xvi. 83. Thay say he can baith quhissill and cloik, And his mouth full of meill.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, X. 186. He whistled to him in his fiste.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. iii. 7. Whistle then to me, As signall that thou hearest some thing approach.
1623. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. III. 140. That ye showlde quhissell and sing one to another like Jakke and Tom for faulte of bettir musike.
1632. Milton, L’Allegro, 64. The Plowman … Whistles ore the Furrow’d Land.
1700. Dryden, Cymon & Iphig., 85. He trudg’d along … And whistled as he went, for want of Thought.
1742. Blair, Grave, 59. The Schoolboy … Whistling aloud to bear his Courage up.
1801. Scott, Eve St. John, vii. He whistled thrice for his little foot-page.
1827. in Hone, Every-day Bk., II. 255. Our sailors … whistle for a wind.
1844. Hood, Captain’s Cow, vii. The more we whistled for the wind The more it did not blow.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xxiii. Another discovery … at sight of which he whistled and then shook his head.
1905. F. Young, Sands of Pleasure, I. iii. Richard, whistling to the dog, led the way.
2. To utter a clear shrill sound, note, or song, as various birds and certain other animals; to pipe; † also formerly, to hiss, as a serpent.
a. 1100. Aldhelm Gloss., I. 4703 (Napier 121/2). Sibilans, hwistliende.
13[?]. K. Alis., 5348 (Laud MS.). Dragouns … Þat grisely whistleden & blasten, And of her mouþe fyre out casten.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxxvii. (Bodl. MS.). An adder … þat whisteleþ and blowith and corrumpith þe aier.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Æsop, I. x. [The serpent] whystled about the hows.
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. 39. The chekyns began to peu quhen the gled quhissillit.
1599. Alex. Hume, Poems (S.T.S.), Hymnes, iii. 190. The Maveis and the Philomeen, The Stirling whissilles lowd.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. i. 54. Latine was no more difficile, Than to a Black-bird ’tis to whistle.
1766. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), Wks. (1862), 344. They [sc. magpies] can whistle also!
1810. E. D. Clarke, Trav. Russia, xii. 249. The Suroke, which is seen in all parts of the steppes, sitting erect, near its burrow, on the slightest alarm whistling very loud.
1820. Keats, Autumn, iii. The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxix. (1856), 359. The white whale … whistled while submerged.
1900. Blackw. Mag., July, 60/1. It [sc. a buck] turned and crashed away into the forest, ‘whistling’ as it went.
b. Of a broken-winded horse: cf. WHISTLER 2 d, WHISTLING vbl. sb. 2 b.
1898. Encycl. Sport, March, 183/1. Whether his most promising two-year-old … did or did not whistle—or worse—as she passed him.
3. To produce a shrill sound of this kind in any way, esp. by rapid movement, as the wind, a missile, the lash of a whip, etc.
c. 1480. Henryson, Test. Cress., 20. The blastis bitterly Fra Pole Artick come quhisling loud and schill.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. viii. 73. The souchand bir quisland amang the granis.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, II. 25. Making such noise as doth the sea, when … It makes the shoare whistle along, with beating on eche crag.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XII. 404. The winged Weapon, whistling in the Wind.
a. 1718. Prior, Henry & Emma, 392. When the Winds whistle, and the Tempests roar.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. vi. 192. The first shot passed extremely near…, whistling just over the heads of the crew.
1853. Dickens, Bleak Ho., viii. The place became dilapidated, the wind whistled through the cracked walls.
1896. Conan Doyle, Rodney Stone, xxii. A whip whistled in the darkness.
1901. W. Pett Ridge, Lond. only, i. 26. Mrs. Bell with a trembling hand turned up the gas until it whistled madly.
b. To rustle shrilly, as silk or other stiff fabric. Obs. or dial.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Quip, iv. Then came brave Glorie puffing by In silks that whistled.
1669. Flavel, Husb. Spir., etc., 240. Under poor garments more true worth may be, Than under silks that whistle.
1858. A. Mayhew, Paved with Gold, II. vii. Making his nether garments ‘whistle,’ as the noise produced by the friction of corduroy is musically styled by the vulgar.
4. To blow or sound a whistle; to sound, as a whistle.
1530. Palsgr., 781/1. I whystell in a whystell, or in my hande, je ciffle.
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. 40. The maister quhislit, and bald the marynalis lay the cabil to the cabilstok.
1608. Shaks., Per., IV. i. 64. The Boatswaine whistles … the Maister calles.
1668. [see 7 a].
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., iv. She whistled on a small silver call … which … was sometimes used to summon domestics.
1849. Thackeray, Contrib. Punch, Paris Revisited, ¶ 5. The engine whistled—the train set forth.
1896. Law Times Rep., LXXIII. 614/2. The engine driver began to whistle about ten seconds before the train passed over the crossing.
5. trans. To produce or utter by whistling (in sense 1, 2, or 4), as a tune or melody; to express by whistling.
1530. Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 88. To play platfute, and quhissill fute before.
1575. A. F., Virg. Bucol., X. 31. If that your pipe would whistle vp my loue, which boyles in brest [L. Vestra meos olim si fistula dicat amores].
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. ii. 342 (Qo.). Those tunes … that he heard the Car-men whistle.
1709. T. Robinson, Vind. Mosaick Syst., 89. They [sc. God’s creatures] have all their several ways of Pleasure and Diversion, some by dancing around in the open Air,… others by singing, or whistling out their chearful Notes.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), V. 345. The linnet and bull finch may be taught … to whistle a long and regular tune.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., ii. The officer whistled a lively air.
1853. Mrs. Gaskell, Ruth, xi. Miss Benson had some masculine tricks, and one was whistling a long, low whistle when surprised or displeased.
6. To shoot or drive with a whistling sound.
1697. Dampier, Voy. round World (1699), 116. The Spaniards … began to whistle now and then a shot among them.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xiii. Sturdy young giants as ever climbed cliff, or carried bolt to whistle at a chamois.
1853. Ferris, Mormons at Home, xv. (1856), 278. The wind … whistled the dust around us in clouds.
b. With down, off: To put on, or take off (the brakes of a railway engine).
1869. Bret Harte, What Engines said, iii. Wks. (1872), 491. Said the Engine from the East:… S’pose you whistle down your brakes.
1891. C. Roberts, Adrift Amer., 172. The engineer whistled the brakes off.
c. To make (one’s way) with whistling.
1853. Mrs. Gore, Dean’s Dau., xxxvi. The steamer thumped and whistled its way athwart Cowes Roads.
1866. Blackmore, Cradock Nowell, xvi. He … whistled his way to the main front-door.
II. Extended, allusive and figurative senses.
7. trans. a. To call, summon, bring, or get by or as by whistling; † fig. to entice, allure.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, b iv b. Stonde styll and cherke hir, and whistyll hir.
1580. Lyly, Euphues, Wks. 1902, II. 197. If Argus with his hundred eyes went prying to vndermine Iupiter, yet met he with Mercurie, who whiselled all his eyes out.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1590), 22. When I lead a horse to the water, if he will not drinke, what can I doo, but whistle him.
1623. Sanderson, Serm., Job xxix. 14–17 (1674), I. 98. Whether it be through his own cowardise or inconstancy, that he keepeth off; or that a fair word whistleth him off.
1623. Middleton & Rowley, Sp. Gipsy, IV. (1653), H 3. If you can whistle her To come to Fist, make tryall, play the young Falconer.
1665. Glanvill, Def. Van. Dogm., 4. Whistling their dependants into apparent precipices.
1668. H. More, Div. Dial., II. xxvi. 338. Hyl. If you fall a-drinking, I may well fall a-whistling on my Flagellet. Cuph. What, do you mean to make us all Horses, to whistle us while we are a-drinking? Ibid., xxix. 349. No Hags of Thessaly could ever whistle the celestial Dog out of the Sky.
1716. Addison, Freeholder, No. 22, ¶ 2. He … chanced to miss his dog…. We stood still till he had whistled him up.
1759. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, I. xvi. Had he been whistled up to London, upon a Tom Fool’s errand.
1774. Goldsm., Retal., 108. He cast off his friends, as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleased he could whistle them back.
1836. [Hooton], Bilberry Thurland, III. 3. A young man … came … and whistled her out through the palisadings of the area.
1876. Field, 12 Feb., 156/2. The driver’s whistle, as he tried to whistle the opposing signal down, would soon show to the man in the signal-box what was amiss.
1889. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ Crooked Path, iv. The polite man … whistled up a hansom for the two gentlemen.
b. (With away, off, etc.) To send or dismiss by whistling (esp. as a term of falconry); also fig. to dismiss, cast off, or abandon lightly: so to whistle down the wind (the hawk being usually cast off against the wind in pursuit of prey, but with the wind when turned loose).
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 12. The which John Bacon was whistled and clapped out of Rome.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 262. If I do proue her Haggard, Though that her Iesses were my deere heart-strings, I’ld whistle her off, and let her downe the winde To prey at Fortune.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Bonduca, IV. iii. This is he … that basely Whistled his honour off to th’ wind.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. III. 317. As a long-winged Hawke when he is first whistled off the fist, mounts aloft.
a. 1721. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Jul. C., I. ii. Those lofty Thoughts … now are whistled off With every Pageant Pomp, and gawdy Show.
1759. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, III. 269. He first acknowledges that right, and then whistles it away.
1775. Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 83. The Dean of Gloucester has proposed … that we should … release our claims, declare them masters of themselves, and whistle them down the wind.
1792. Holcroft, Road to Ruin, I. 14. Poverty is a trifle; we can whistle it off.
1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, xlvi. To the winds have I whistled her long ago!
1860. Trollope, Cas. Richmond, xiv. Having accepted my love, you cannot whistle me down the wind as though I were of no account.
1871. Meredith, H. Richmond, liii. You ’re going, are you?… Then I whistle you off my fingers!
8. intr. To issue a call or summons, to call; whistle for, to summon. Now rare or Obs. (exc. as implied in sense 1 or 4).
1560. Pilkington, Aggeus (1562), 158. Drought, hunger, plage, sworde, do tarye … for God’s callinge; and as soone as he whystles, they come straighte.
a. 1626. Bacon, Adv. King Sutton’s Est., Wks. 1826, V. 38. The greatness of the reward doth whistle for the ablest men … to supply the chair.
b. Whistle off: to go off, go away (suddenly or lightly). colloq. ? Obs.
1689. Shadwell, Bury F., II. 22. Wild. So, Madam, you have my Heart…. Gert. ’Tis a light one, and always ready to whistle off at any Game.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, VII. viii. [He] whistled off to his appointed chamber.
9. To go whistle: to go and do what one will, to occupy oneself idly or to no purpose (esp. in phrases expressing unceremonious or contemptuous dismissal or refusal, as to bid one go whistle; also without go). To whistle for: to seek, await or expect in vain, to fail to get, to go without (cf. note under sense 1). colloq.
1513. More, in Hall, Chron., Edw. V. (1548), 9 b. There they spende and byd their creditours goo whystle.
1605. Lond. Prodigal, II. iv. 173. The Deuen-shyre man shall whistle for a wife.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 715. This being done, let the Law goe whistle.
1642. Prynne, Pleas. Purge, 157. There is no Altar, Table in the Text. You may goe whistle then.
1677. Govt. Venice, 271. Men are apt to promise any thing in danger, and to perform nothing when out of it, according to the Proverb of their Countrey:… When the danger’s past, the Saint may go whistle.
1741. Shenstone, Poet & Dun, 24. Your fame is secure—bid the critics go whistle.
1760. C. Johnston, Chrysal, II. II. xiv. ‘Do not you desire to be free’… ‘aye! that I do! but I may whistle for that wind long enough, before it will blow.’
1812. Colman, Br. Grins, &c., Low Ambit., ii. You may as well go whistle as go think of mending the confusion.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xviii. And sae we’ll leave Mr. Sharpitlaw to whistle on his thumb.
1882. Lady G. Bloomfield, Remin., I. i. 14. She … rode off, telling him he might whistle for his money.
10. intr. and trans. To speak, tell or utter secretly, to ‘whisper’; to give secret information, turn informer. ? Obs.
1599. Sir J. Hayward, Hen. IV., I. 27. Some of the secrete counsailers, or corrupters rather, and abusers of the King, whistled him in the eare, that his going to Westminster was neither seemly nor safe.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 248. Is there not milking-time? When you are going to bed? Or kill-hole? To whistle of these secrets?
1627. J. Taylor (Water P.), Armado, B 5. They dare speake fellony, whistle treason.
1681. Flavel, Right. Man’s Ref., 195. The bird of the air that carries tidings, and whistles deeds of darkness.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxiii. I kept ay between him and her, for fear she had whistled. Ibid., l. I wadna like … to gang about whistling and raising the rent on my neighbours.
