Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

whis|per ◆◇◇ / ^h w I spə ^r / (whispers , whispering , whispered )

1 VERB When you whisper , you say something very quietly, using your breath rather than your throat, so that only one person can hear you. □ [V with quote] 'Keep your voice down,' I whispered. □ [V prep] She sat on Rossi's knee as he whispered in her ear. □ [V n prep] He whispered the message to David. □ [V that] Somebody whispered that films like that were illegal. □ [V n] She whispered his name. ● N‑COUNT Whisper is also a noun. □  Men were talking in whispers in every office.

2 VERB If people whisper about a piece of information, they talk about it, although it might not be true or accurate, or might be a secret. □ [V + about ] We hit it off so well that everyone started whispering about us. □ [be V -ed that] It is whispered that he intended to resign. □ [V n] But don't whisper a word of that. ● N‑COUNT Whisper is also a noun. □  I've heard a whisper that the Bishop intends to leave.

whist / ^h w I st/ N‑UNCOUNT Whist is a card game in which people play in pairs against each other.

whis|tle / ^h w I s ^ə l/ (whistles , whistling , whistled )

1 VERB When you whistle or when you whistle a tune, you make a series of musical notes by forcing your breath out between your lips, or your teeth. □ [V ] He was whistling softly to himself. □ [V n] As he washed, he whistled a tune.

2 VERB When someone whistles , they make a sound by forcing their breath out between their lips or their teeth. People sometimes whistle when they are surprised or shocked, or to call a dog, or to show that they are impressed. □ [V ] He whistled, surprised but not shocked. □ [V prep] Jenkins whistled through his teeth, impressed at last. ● N‑COUNT Whistle is also a noun. □  Jackson gave a low whistle.

3 → see also wolf-whistle

4 VERB If something such as a train or a kettle whistles , it makes a loud, high sound. □ [V ] Somewhere a train whistled. □ [V -ing] …the whistling car radio. ●  whis|tling N‑SING □  …the whistling of the wind.

5 VERB If something such as the wind or a bullet whistles somewhere, it moves there, making a loud, high sound. □ [V prep] The wind was whistling through the building. □ [V prep] As I stood up a bullet whistled past my back.

6 N‑COUNT A whistle is a loud sound produced by air or steam being forced through a small opening, or by something moving quickly through the air. □ [+ of ] Hugh listened to the whistle of a train. □ [+ of ] …the whistle of the wind.

7 N‑COUNT A whistle is a small metal tube which you blow in order to produce a loud sound and attract someone's attention. □  On the platform, the guard blew his whistle.

8 N‑COUNT A whistle is a simple musical instrument in the shape of a metal pipe with holes. You play the whistle by blowing into it.

9 → see also tin whistle

10 PHRASE If you blow the whistle on someone, or on something secret or illegal, you tell another person, especially a person in authority, what is happening. □  Companies should protect employees who blow the whistle on dishonest workmates.

11 → see also whistle-blower

12 PHRASE If you describe something as clean as a whistle , you mean that it is completely clean.

whi stle-blower (whistle-blowers ) also whistleblower N‑COUNT A whistle-blower is someone who finds out that the organization they are working for is doing something immoral or illegal and tells the authorities or the public about it. [JOURNALISM ] □  If the government is serious about reducing medical risk, then it must change the law to protect whistle-blowers.