Definition

Noun: A whistling buoy is a type of navigational buoy equipped with a device that produces a whistling sound, typically powered by wave action or wind. It serves as an audible warning or marker for ships, especially in conditions of poor visibility like fog.

Usage

The term is used specifically in maritime contexts to refer to a sound signal buoy. - The captain navigated carefully, guided by the sound of the whistling buoy marking the channel entrance. - In the thick fog, the only indication of the shoal was the distant whistling buoy.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: Whistling buoys were more common before the widespread adoption of electronic and lighted navigational aids. They are a type of sound buoy.
• Technical Description: The whistle is often activated by the buoy's motion in the water, with air being forced through a chamber or pipe.

Variants and Related Words

• Sound buoy (n): A general term for any buoy that produces an audible signal, which includes whistling, bell, gong, or horn buoys.
• Bell buoy (n): A buoy with a bell that rings as it moves.
• Gong buoy (n): A buoy fitted with one or more gongs.
• Horn buoy (n): A buoy that emits a horn blast, often using compressed gas or electricity.

Synonyms

• Acoustic buoy (n): A technical synonym for a buoy designed to produce sound.
• Signal buoy (n): A buoy that conveys information, often through sound or light.

Related Phrases

• To mark a hazard: A common function of a whistling buoy.
  • The whistling buoy marks the hazardous rocks near the shore.
• Audible aid to navigation: A phrase describing its purpose.
  • Lighthouses and whistling buoys are critical audible aids to navigation.

Noun

1. a buoy that makes a whistling noise