See blow the whistle in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for blow the whistle meaning in English (7.2kB)
{
"etymology_text": "When used idiomatically, probably an allusion to a police officer blowing his or her whistle on observing a violation of the law.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "blows the whistle",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "blowing the whistle",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "blew the whistle",
"tags": [
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "blown the whistle",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "blow<,,blew,blown> the whistle"
},
"expansion": "blow the whistle (third-person singular simple present blows the whistle, present participle blowing the whistle, simple past blew the whistle, past participle blown the whistle)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "49 51",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English predicates",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "In some jurisdictions, it is illegal to fire a person for blowing the whistle on an employer."
}
],
"glosses": [
"To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency."
],
"id": "en-blow_the_whistle-en-verb-I6UPpbBA",
"links": [
[
"disclose",
"disclose"
],
[
"information",
"information"
],
[
"public",
"public"
],
[
"appropriate",
"appropriate"
],
[
"authorities",
"authority"
],
[
"illegal",
"illegal"
],
[
"socially",
"socially"
],
[
"harmful",
"harmful"
],
[
"corporation",
"corporation"
],
[
"government",
"government"
],
[
"agency",
"agency"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic, usually with \"on\") To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency."
],
"raw_tags": [
"with \"on\""
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"sense": "disclose information",
"word": "tattle"
}
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic",
"usually"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "揭發"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "jiēfā",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "揭发"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "舉報"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "jǔbào",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "举报"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "告發"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "gàofā",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "告发"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "檢舉"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "jiǎnjǔ",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "检举"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "ilmiantaa"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "antaa ilmi"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "dénoncer"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "dévoiler"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "mettre à nu"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "mettre au jour"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "de",
"english": "to the police e.g.",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "verpfeifen"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "de",
"english": "to the public",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "ausposaunen"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "botar a boca no trombone"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "chivarse"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "dar el soplo"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "27 73",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "36 64",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "49 51",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English predicates",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "27 73",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"parents": [
"Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game."
],
"id": "en-blow_the_whistle-en-verb-DaUkegJI",
"links": [
[
"signal",
"signal"
],
[
"referee",
"referee"
]
],
"qualifier": "team sports",
"raw_glosses": [
"(team sports) To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game."
],
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "41 59",
"word": "whistle-blower"
},
{
"_dis1": "41 59",
"word": "speak truth to power"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "43 57",
"word": "tell on"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "chuīshào",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "吹哨"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "viheltää"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "puhaltaa pilliin"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "siffler"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "pfeifen"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "de",
"english": "to end",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "abpfeifen"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "apitar"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 96",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "pitar"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "en-au-blow the whistle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f9/En-au-blow_the_whistle.ogg/En-au-blow_the_whistle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/En-au-blow_the_whistle.ogg",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"text": "Audio (AU)"
}
],
"word": "blow the whistle"
}
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English predicates",
"English terms with audio links",
"English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"English verbs"
],
"etymology_text": "When used idiomatically, probably an allusion to a police officer blowing his or her whistle on observing a violation of the law.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "blows the whistle",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "blowing the whistle",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "blew the whistle",
"tags": [
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "blown the whistle",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "blow<,,blew,blown> the whistle"
},
"expansion": "blow the whistle (third-person singular simple present blows the whistle, present participle blowing the whistle, simple past blew the whistle, past participle blown the whistle)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "whistle-blower"
},
{
"word": "speak truth to power"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English idioms"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "In some jurisdictions, it is illegal to fire a person for blowing the whistle on an employer."
}
],
"glosses": [
"To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency."
],
"links": [
[
"disclose",
"disclose"
],
[
"information",
"information"
],
[
"public",
"public"
],
[
"appropriate",
"appropriate"
],
[
"authorities",
"authority"
],
[
"illegal",
"illegal"
],
[
"socially",
"socially"
],
[
"harmful",
"harmful"
],
[
"corporation",
"corporation"
],
[
"government",
"government"
],
[
"agency",
"agency"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic, usually with \"on\") To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency."
],
"raw_tags": [
"with \"on\""
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic",
"usually"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game."
],
"links": [
[
"signal",
"signal"
],
[
"referee",
"referee"
]
],
"qualifier": "team sports",
"raw_glosses": [
"(team sports) To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game."
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "en-au-blow the whistle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f9/En-au-blow_the_whistle.ogg/En-au-blow_the_whistle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/En-au-blow_the_whistle.ogg",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"text": "Audio (AU)"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"sense": "disclose information",
"word": "tattle"
},
{
"word": "tell on"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "揭發"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "jiēfā",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "揭发"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "舉報"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "jǔbào",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "举报"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "告發"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "gàofā",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "告发"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "檢舉"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "jiǎnjǔ",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "检举"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "ilmiantaa"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "antaa ilmi"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "dénoncer"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "dévoiler"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "mettre à nu"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "mettre au jour"
},
{
"code": "de",
"english": "to the police e.g.",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "verpfeifen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"english": "to the public",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "ausposaunen"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "botar a boca no trombone"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "chivarse"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "disclose information to the public",
"word": "dar el soplo"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "chuīshào",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "吹哨"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "viheltää"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "puhaltaa pilliin"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "siffler"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "pfeifen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"english": "to end",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "abpfeifen"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "apitar"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "make a sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game",
"word": "pitar"
}
],
"word": "blow the whistle"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.