siffler
whistle
C’est faire un son avec la bouche en soufflant de l’air entre les lèvres ou les doigts.
Definition & meaning
The verb siffler has several meanings in French:
- To whistle: To produce a high-pitched sound by forcing air through pursed lips or through the teeth.
- To hiss: To produce a sound resembling the letter "s" (used for snakes or escaping steam).
- To boo/jeer: In a theater or at a sporting event, to make a whistling sound to express disapproval or dissatisfaction with a performance or a referee's decision.
- To finish a drink: Colloquially, it means to drink a beverage, especially an alcoholic one, very quickly (to "down" a drink).
- To call: To signal someone (like a dog or a taxi) by whistling.
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: It is a regular first-group verb (-er ending). It is transitive or intransitive depending on the context.
- Origin: It comes from the Old French siffler, derived from the Vulgar Latin sifilare, which itself comes from the Latin sibilare (to hiss or whistle).
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Tinter (in the sense of a high-pitched sound)
- Siffloter (to whistle softly or absent-mindedly)
- Huer (to boo or shout disapproval)
- Boire (in the colloquial sense of drinking quickly)
- Chuchoter (in the context of hissing/whispering)
Antonyms:
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Examples
Le vent commence à siffler doucement.verb
The wind begins to whistle softly.
On peut entendre un oiseau siffler.verb
One can hear a bird whistle.
Parfois, les oiseaux sifflent très fort.verb
Sometimes, the birds whistle very loudly.
Parfois, les oiseaux commencent à siffler tôt le matin.verb
Sometimes, the birds start to whistle early in the morning.
On peut entendre le vent siffler doucement.verb
One can hear the wind whistling softly.
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