be whistling in the dark

be whistling in the dark

To be sure of a particular outcome when all evidence points to the contrary. Based on the polls, he's whistling in the dark if he thinks he's going to unseat the incumbent. He never pays any attention to you, so you're whistling in the dark if you think he's really going to ask you out on a date. A: "If Dad thinks we're gonna make a profit this quarter, he's really whistling in the dark." B: "I know, sales have been way down."

See also: dark, whistle

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

be whistling in the dark

If someone is whistling in the dark, they are trying to make themselves feel less afraid. Then I waited, trying not to feel as if I were whistling in the dark, but I experienced no easing of my fear and anxiety.

See also: dark, whistle

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012