(a) A pipe or pipelike object modified for use as a musical instrument or to produce a sound, a whistle; also, a nautical whistle for signaling; a pipe for an organ; fouleres ~, a whistle used as a birdcall, fowler’s whistle; walsingham ~, some kind of flute or whistle, perh. a souvenir from the shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham; (b) the mouth and throat; weten ~, to wet one’s whistle, take an alcoholic drink; hire ~ was wel wet, her throat was well moistened, she was drunk; (c) fig. one who speaks for another, a spokesperson; (d) something of little or no value; setten a ~ bi, to set little store by (sth.); (e) wode ~ [OE wōde-wistle], any of several hollow-stemmed plants, esp. hemlock (Conium maculatum) and cowbane (Cicuta virosa) [see also wode n.(2) 6a.(e)]; wode ~ sed; (f) in surnames and place name [see Smith PNElem.1.273].