WHISTER-CLISTER (WHISTER-SNEFET, WHISTER-SNIVET, WHISTER-TWISTER, or WHISTER-POOP), subs. phr. (old).—A thumping blow: spec. a back-handed blow.
1542. Udal, Erasmus, 112. A good whistersnefet, truelie paied on his eare.
Whistle, subs. (common).—1. The throat, red-lane (q.v.). Hence to wet (or whet) one's whistle = to drink (see Wet): Fr. s'affûter le sifflet.
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 'Reeves Tale.' As any jay she light was and jolyf So was his joly whistle wel ywet.
c. 1400. Townley Mysteries, Pastores. Had she oones wett hyr whystyll she couth syng fulle clere.
1530. Palsgrave, Lang. Franc., 780. I WETE MY WHYSTELL, as good drinkers do. Je crocque la pie. Wyll you WETE YOUR WHYSTELL.
1618. Fletcher, Mad Lover, ii. My whistle once wet I'll pipe. Ibid. (1622), Beggars Bush, iii. 1. Give the boy some drink there! Piper, Whet YOUR WHISTLE.
1653. Walton, Compleat Angler, iii. Let's ev'n say grace, and turn to the fire, drink the other cup to wet our whistles, and so sing away all sad thoughts.
d. 1796. Burns, Poems (Globe), 150. But till we meet and weet our whistle, Tak this excuse for nae epistle.
2. (common).—A whim, fancy, caprice; whence TO pay for one's whistle = to pay high (or dearly). [The allusion is to a story told (1779) by Dr. Franklin (Works [1836], II. 182) of his nephew, who set his mind on a common whistle, which he bought of a boy for four times its value.]
1876. Eliot, Daniel Deronda, xxxv. I wouldn't destroy any old bits, but that notion of reproducing the old is a mistake, I think; at least, if a man likes to do it, he must pay for his whistle.
Verb (old).—To inform.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xxxiii. I kept aye between him and her for fear she had whistled.
TO WHISTLE AND RIDE, Verb. phr. (tailors').—To work and talk.
Phrases. To go whistle = to go to the deuce, to be discomfited or disappointed; TO WHISTLE FOR A WIND = (1) old salts of a superstitious turn of mind will whistle for a breeze during a calm: during a storm they would not dream of so doing: hence to whistle for = to stand small chance of getting; (2) = a jocular offer of aid to one long in commencing to urinate; AT one's WHISTLE = at call; WORTH THE whistle = worth notice, attention, or a call; TO whistle DOWN THE WIND = to talk for talking's sake, to talk idly, or to no purpose; as clean as a WHISTLE = NEAT (q.v.), SLICK (q.v.).
1547. Heywood, Dialogues. It's a poor dog that is not worth the whistling.
1604. Shakspeare, Winters Tale, iv. 4. 715. This being done, let the law go WHISTLE.
1605. Shakspeare, Lear, iv. 2. I have been worth the whistle.
1611. Beaumont and Fletcher, Two Noble Kinsmen, iii. 5. Ger. Here's a woman wanting. Count. We may go whistle; all the fat's i' the fire.
1760. Johnston, Chrysal, ii. 184. 'Do you not desire to be free?' 'Desire! aye, that I do; but I may whistle for that wind long enough before it will blow,'
d. 1763. Shenstone, Poet and the Dun. Your fame is secure, bid the critics go whistle.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 214. She went and fetch'd each nag his bridle, Then hung the reins upon her wrist, And whistled while the horses pist.
