| 释义 |
siffleur|siflœr|
Also † erron. pl. siffleux.
[Fr., lit. a whistler.]
1. Canad. One of several animals that make a whistling noise, esp. the hoary marmot, Marmota caligata, or its flesh used as food. Cf. whistler 2 b.
1703tr. La Hontan's New Voy. N. Amer. I. 62 Certain little Beasts, call'd Siffleurs, or Whistlers. 1808S. Fraser Jrnl. 18 June (1960) 86 They gave us a siffleur (marmot) which is the first fresh meat we tasted since our departure. 1858J. Palliser Jrnl. 22 Aug. in Palliser Papers (1968) 274 The only animal which we have seen is the siffleur, whose shrill whistle we heard for the first time close to our encampment. 1898F. Russell Expl. Far North 249 Ground squirrels or ‘siffleux’ as they are known to the Company's people, are a characteristic feature of the barren portions of Arctic America. 1949Canad. Alpine Jrnl. May 32 They dined on ‘delicious siffleur’ which tasted on the tongue like ‘very delicate mutton or the fat of sucking pig’. 1968R. M. Patterson Finlay's River 209 La Guarde shot a couple of siffleurs—marmots or whistlers—lean, miserable things at that season.
2. (with fem. -euse). One who entertains professionally by whistling.
1827T. Dibdin Reminiscences II. vi. 122 The following is from a celebrated siffleur:..‘I Take the Liberty of Inclosing a few Lines, to Inform you that I am a Beautyfull Whistler If you Please to Give Me one Trial on the Stage.’ 1912Music Hall & Theatre Review 11 Jan. 31/1 ‘Who is He’, a clever siffleur, charms everyone with his mimicry of birds. 1981Times 26 Feb. 13/1 Melba's friend Adeline Murrelli was not a singer but that almost forgotten artist, a siffleuse, or whistler. |