whistling
1
1.0
- noun
- /ˈhwɪs.lɪŋ/
- All of the cabs on the street began to honk merrily, and a whistling firecracker went off somewhere below.
- hear her whistling
- sound of whistling
- stop that whistling
Examples
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But Lomax says anyone can improve their whistling, it just takes practice, practice, practice.
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I happen to have the, you know, I was blessed with some degree of musical talent, so I spend a lot of time humming and whistling and making up compositions.
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And when I heard her whistling, I thought it was the iceman whistling, but no, it was the maid.
Fiction book (1998) -
We never knew when he'd come home whistling, tipsy to his toes.
Fiction book (1999) -
But then, hearing nearly distant whistling, he clicks on windows furiously, closing them.
Fiction book (2001) -
Jaunty music, whistling, and Naughton's understated narration provide perfect balance to the bold art.
Academic text (2008) -
It's an odd song sung in a happy tempo; a whistling refrain overtakes the lyrics as Josh inhales.
Fiction book (2001) -
To rally them, I struck up a spirited whistling rendition of "Colonel Bogey's March" and stepped forward smartly, arms swinging.
Fiction book (2002) -
He delighted the crowd with his whistling of popular tunes during the concert.
-
Her whistling echoed off the walls as she walked through the empty hall.
Compounds
1
8.5
A large ground squirrel that lives in mountains and makes a loud high whistle
- Specialized
A floating marker that makes a whistling sound to warn ships of danger
How Musical
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word whistling comes from an old sound word whist that copies the quick 'wh' breath people use to make a tune. So whistling means 'making a clear, musical sound with the lips and breath'.