sībĭlus, i (collat. form, abl., sibilu, Sisenn. ap. Prisc. p. 715 P.—In plur. in the poets, prob. merely for the sake of the metre: sībĭla, ōrum; cf. 2. sibilus init.; but in Cic. sibili), m. [cf. σιφνός, σιβλός, hollow; Angl. S. and Engl. sipan, sip; O. H. Germ. sip, Germ. Sieb, a sieve; regarded by the ancients as imitation of a natural sound; cf. Quint. 8, 6, 31; Auct. Her. 4, 31, 42], a hissing, a whistling (class.)
I In gen.
α Sing. , of men: sibilo dare signum, Liv. 25, 8 fin. —Of cattle: (boves) sibilo allectari, Col. 2, 3, 2.—Of things: clamor tonitruum et rudentum sibilus, Poët. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 2, 1: (arbor) Loquente saepe sibilum edidit coma, Cat. 4, 12: venientis sibilus austri, Verg. E. 5, 82: sibilu significare alicui, Sisenn. ap. Prisc. p. 715 P.—
β Plur. , of wind instruments: calamorum sibila, Lucr. 5, 1382; cf. pastoria, Ov. M. 13, 785; Stat. Th. 6, 338.—Of snakes, etc.: serpens horrenda sibila misit, Ov. M. 3, 38: sibila dant, id. ib. 4, 493: mittere, id. ib. 15, 670; 15, 684: sibila torsit draco, Val. Fl. 7, 726: angues stridula fuderunt vibratis sibila linguis, Luc. 9, 631: sibila effundere, id. 9, 724: vibrare, Sil. 3, 185; Corn. Sev. and Macer ap. Charis. p. 61 P.—Of a flying missile: stridentis sibila teli, Sil. 9, 247; Val. Fl. 6, 201. —
II In partic., a contemptuous hissing , a hissing at or off (usually in plur.).
α Sing. : sibilum metuis? Cic. Pis. 27, 65.—
β Plur. : e scaenā sibilis explodi, Cic. Rosc. Com. 11, 30: aliquem sibilis consectari, id. Att. 2, 18, 1: crebris totius contionis sibilis vexatus, Val. Max. 7, 3, 6 ext.; Cic. Sest. 59, 126; cf.: gladiatorii sibili, id. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 61 P.: quā dominus, quā advocati sibilis conscissi, id. Att. 2, 19, 3.