(verb) : sībĭlo (collat. form sīfĭlo, Non. 531, 2), āre, and
* A. [sibilus] (class. but rare).
* Neutr., to hiss, to whistle: imitationis hoc modo, ut majores rudere et vagire et mugire et murmurare et sibilare appellaverunt,Auct. Her. 4, 31, 42: (serpens) sibilat ore, * Verg. A. 11, 754; so of a serpent,Prop. 4 (5), 7, 54. Ov M. 4, 588.—Of gossips: contemplent, conspiciant omnes, nutent, nictent, sibilent, * Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 72.—Of things: illud (ferrum igne rubens) Stridet et in trepidā submersum sibilat undā,Ov. M. 12, 279: stridor rudentum sibilat,whistles,Sil. 17, 258; cf. aura,Luc. 2, 698: tempestas,Quint. Decl. 12, 16: horrendo fragore sibilantibus armis,Amm. 31, 12, 12.
* Act., to hiss, i. e. to hiss at, hiss down a person, Cic. Att. 2, 19, 2: populus me sibilat; at mihi plaudo Ipse domi,Hor. S. 1, 1, 66.