whistling

Verb

whistle (third-person singular simple present whistles, present participle whistling, simple past and past participle whistled)

1. (ambitransitive) To make a shrill, high-pitched sound by forcing air through the mouth. To produce a whistling sound, restrictions to the flow of air are created using the teeth, tongue and lips.
   • Never whistle at a funeral.
2. (ambitransitive) To make a similar sound by forcing air through a musical instrument or a pipe etc.
   • The steam train whistled as it passed by.
3. (intransitive) To move in such a way as to create a whistling sound.
   • A bullet whistled past.
4. (transitive) To send, signal, or call by a whistle.
5. (intransitive, slang, Opus Dei) To request admission to Opus Dei, a Roman Catholic organization.

See all 11 meanings of whistle