- a small metal or plastic tube that you blow to make a loud, high sound, used to attract attention or as a signal
- The referee finally blew the whistle to stop the game.
Extra Examples- He gave a short blast on his whistle.
- The referee's whistle went just before he shot the goal.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dog
- police
- train
- …
- blow
- blow on
- sound
- …
- blow
- go
- sound
- …
- a blast on a whistle
Definitions on the go
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- the sound made by blowing a whistle
- He scored the winning goal just seconds before the final whistle.
Extra Examples- They scored their only goal just before the final whistle.
- From the opening to the final whistle, Gray is relentless.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- loud
- high
- high-pitched
- …
- give
- let out
- hear
- …
- with a whistle
- whistle of
- the sound that you make by forcing your breath out when your lips are almost closed
- He gave a low long whistle of surprise.
Extra Examples- He attracted whistles and jeers and rotten tomatoes from the crowd.
- From the audience came applause and whistles of appreciation.
- She gave a low whistle of admiration.
- He pursed his lips in a silent whistle.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- loud
- high
- high-pitched
- …
- give
- let out
- hear
- …
- with a whistle
- whistle of
- the loud, high sound produced by air or steam being forced through a small opening, or by something moving quickly through the air
- the whistle of a boiling kettle
- the whistle of a bullet
- The train entered the tunnel with a shrill whistle.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- loud
- high
- high-pitched
- …
- give
- let out
- hear
- …
- with a whistle
- whistle of
- a piece of equipment that makes a loud, high sound when air or steam is forced through it
- The train whistle blew as we left the station.
- a factory whistle
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dog
- police
- train
- …
- blow
- blow on
- sound
- …
- blow
- go
- sound
- …
- a blast on a whistle
Word OriginOld English (h)wistlian (verb), (h)wistle (noun), of Germanic origin; imitative and related to Swedish vissla ‘to whistle’.
Idioms
See whistle in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryas clean as a whistle
- (informal) very cleanMore Like This Similes in idiomsSimiles in idioms
- (as) bald as a coot
- (as) blind as a bat
- (as) bright as a button
- (as) bold as brass
- as busy as a bee
- as clean as a whistle
- (as) dead as a/the dodo
- (as) deaf as a post
- (as) dull as ditchwater
- (as) fit as a fiddle
- as flat as a pancake
- (as) good as gold
- (as) mad as a hatter/a March hare
- (as) miserable/ugly as sin
- as old as the hills
- (as) pleased/proud as Punch
- as pretty as a picture
- (as) regular as clockwork
- (as) quick as a flash
- (as) safe as houses
- (as) sound as a bell
- (as) steady as a rock
- (as) thick as two short planks
- (as) tough as old boots
blow the whistle on somebody/something
- (informal) to tell somebody in authority about something wrong or illegal that somebody is doing
Check pronunciation:
whistle