whistling

[ hwis-ling, wis- ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that whistles.
2. the sound produced.
3. Veterinary Pathology. a form of roaring characterized by a peculiarly shrill sound.

whistling

/ ˈwɪslɪŋ /

noun

1. vet science a breathing defect of horses characterized by a high-pitched sound with each intake of air Compare roaring

Word History and Origins

Origin of whistling¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English hwistlung. See whistle, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Rather than continue to stimulate important conversations, the Dodgers are back to whistling past America’s graveyard, pretending there is nothing hypocritical about visiting President Trump one week and celebrating Jackie Robinson Day the next.

From Los Angeles Times

And a BBC news reporter grasped the rare opportunity to try to woo him from the skies by whistling a magic pipe.

From BBC

At one stage in the final referee Kirk Bevins had to tell the crowd to stop whistling, while earlier on Gerwyn Price mocked spectators by whistling himself when they got on his back.

From BBC

The Greens, on the other hand, described the bill "dog whistling that shamefully scapegoated international students for the housing crisis they did not cause".

From BBC

World-class whistling, from a Scottish perspective at least.

From BBC