Agency Dictionary
Whistle
noun
In Portuguese: Apito
Play & SportWhat does “Whistle” mean?
A small wind instrument that produces a loud, high-pitched acoustic sound when blown by an official. In sports, it serves as the authoritative auditory signal to halt play, resume action, or penalize fouls.
Etymology
From Old English hwistle, related to the verb hwistlian ('to whistle, to hiss'), a Germanic word of imitative origin with relatives in the Scandinavian languages. The noun has long named both the shrill sound and the small instrument that makes it.
Usage note
In sports officiating, the whistle signals play stoppage, fouls, and resumption; its pitch and rhythm carry conventional meanings that vary by sport.
Word family
- whistler
Rhymes with
- thistle
- bristle
- gristle
- missal
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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