whistle

英 ['wɪs(ə)l] 美 ['wɪsl]
  • n. 口哨;汽笛;啸啸声
  • vt. 吹口哨;鸣汽笛(过去式whistled,过去分词whistled,现在分词whistling,第三人称单数whistles)

中文词源


whistle 哨子

拟声词。

英文词源


whistle
whistle: [OE] Like whisper, whistle goes back ultimately to the prehistoric Germanic base *khwis-, which denoted a ‘hissing’ sound. Related forms include Swedish vissla ‘whistle’ and Danish hvisle ‘hiss’.
=> whisper
whistle (v.)
Old English hwistlian "to whistle," from Proto-Germanic *hwis-, of imitative origin (cognates: Old Norse hvisla "to whisper," Danish hvisle "to hiss;" see whisper (v.)). Used also in Middle English of the hissing of serpents; in 17c. it also could mean "whisper." Transitive use from late 15c. Related: Whistled; whistling. At public events, often an expression of support or encouragement in U.S., but often derisive in Britain. To whistle for (with small prospect of getting) is perhaps from nautical whistling for a wind, an old sailor's superstition during a calm. "Such men will not whistle during a storm" [Century Dictionary]. To whistle "Dixie" is from 1940.
whistle (n.)
"tubular musical instrument sounded by blowing," Old English hwistle (see whistle (v.)). Meaning "sound formed by pursing the lips and blowing" is from mid-15c. To wet one's whistle "take a drink" (late 14c.) originally may have referred to pipes, or be an allusion to the throat as a sort of pipe. Phrase clean as a whistle is recorded from 1878. Railroad whistle-stop (at which trains stop only if the engineer hears a signal from the station) is recorded from 1934.

双语例句


1. It took internal whistle-blowing and investigative journalism to uncover the rot.
是内部检举和调查性报道揭露了这一腐败事实。

来自柯林斯例句

2. "His private life is as clean as a whistle," says McSmith.
“他的私生活没有任何污点,”麦克史密斯说。

来自柯林斯例句

3. "He wants a police escort." — "Well, he can whistle for that."
“他希望有警卫护送。”——“那他是指望不上了。”

来自柯林斯例句

4. The referee blew his whistle for a penalty.
裁判鸣哨判罚.

来自柯林斯例句

5. Hugh listened to the whistle of a train.
休听着火车呼啸而过。

来自柯林斯例句

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