whistle (redirected from whistled in the dark)

*clean as a hound's tooth and *clean as a whistle 

1. Rur. Cliché very clean. (*Also: as ~.) After his mother scrubbed him thoroughly, the baby was as clean as a hound's tooth. The car was as clean as a whistle after the Girl Scouts washed it.

2. Rur. Cliché innocent and free from sin or wrong. (*Also: as ~.) Jane's record was clean as a whistle; she had never committed even the smallest infraction.

See also: clean, tooth

*slick as a whistle

quickly and cleanly; quickly and skillfully. (*Also: as ~.) Tom took a broom and a mop and cleaned the place up as slick as a whistle. slick as a whistle, Sally pulled off the bandage.

See also: slick

bells and whistles

Fig. extra, fancy add-ons or gadgets. I like cars that are loaded with all the bells and whistles. All those bells and whistles add to the cost.

See also: and, bell

blow the whistle (on someone)

1. Fig. to report someone's wrongdoing to someone (such as the police) who can stop the wrongdoing. (Alludes to blowing a whistle to attract the police.) The citizens' group blew the whistle on the street gangs by calling the police. The gangs were getting very bad. It was definitely time to blow the whistle.

2. Fig. to report legal or regulatory wrongdoing of a company, especially one's employer, to authorities. She was fired for blowing the whistle on the bank's mismanagement of accounts, but she then sued the bank.

See also: blow

can (just) whistle for something

Fig. can just forget about having something. The last time Mary came over for dinner, she was downright rude. If she wants dinner at my house again, she can just whistle for it! I asked the boss for a promotion. He told me I could whistle for it.

See also: can

not just whistling Dixie

Rur. not talking nonsense. (Alludes to a song titled "Dixie.") Man, you are right! You're not just whistling Dixie. When you say she is wrong, you're not just whistling Dixie.

See also: Dixie, just

wet one's whistle

Rur. to take a drink. He stopped at the bar to wet his whistle. I don't need a big glass of water. Just enough to wet my whistle.

See also: wet

whistle at someone or something

to indicate approval or disapproval of someone or something by whistling. The men whistled at the beautiful woman who walked by. Everyone whistled at the enormous roast of beef the cook's assistant carried in.

whistle for someone or something

to summon someone or something by whistling. I stood on the corner and whistled for a cab, but they all ignored me. I whistled for the dog, but it did not appear.

whistle in the dark

Fig. to guess aimlessly; to speculate as to a fact. Am I close, or am I just whistling in the dark? She was whistling in the dark. She has no idea of what's going on.

See also: dark

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a whistle-stop tour

a very quick visit to several places (often + of ) Coach loads of tourists come for whistle-stop tours of the main European cities.

See also: tour

a wolf whistle

a whistle (= high sound that is made by blowing air through the lips) that some men do when they see a woman who is sexually attractive She'll get a few wolf whistles if she walks through town in those shorts. (British & Australian)

See cry wolf, keep the wolf from the door

See also: wolf

be as clean as a whistle

if someone is as clean as a whistle, they are not involved in anything illegal He hasn't got a criminal record - he's clean as a whistle.

See also: clean

be as clean as a whistle  also be as clean as a new pin

to be very clean The café's as clean as a whistle, and the food's excellent.

See also: clean

be whistling Dixie  (American informal)

to talk in a way that makes things seem better than they really are (usually negative) We're really making money these days and I'm not just whistling Dixie.

See also: Dixie

be whistling in the dark

to be confident that something good will happen when it is not at all likely She seems pretty sure she'll win the title, but she may just be whistling in the dark.

See also: dark

bells and whistles

the things that something, especially a device or machine, has or does that are not necessary but that make it more exciting or interesting Your computer software may have all the latest bells and whistles, but is it good value for money?

See also: and, bell

blow the whistle on somebody/something

to tell someone in authority about something bad that is happening so that it can be stopped He was dismissed when he tried to blow the whistle on the safety problems at the factory. The kids are encouraged to blow the whistle on any of their friends who are using drugs.

See also: blow

He/She/They can whistle for it!  (old-fashioned)

something that you say which means you are determined that someone will not get what they want If they want money, they can whistle for it. They're not getting a penny out of me!

See blow the whistle on, wet whistle

See also: can

wet your whistle  (old-fashioned)

to have a drink, especially an alcoholic drink You must be thirsty after all that work - would you care to wet your whistle?

See have a face like a wet weekend

See also: wet

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blow the whistle (on somebody/something)

to show to the public dangerous conditions or illegal activities I knew my company was polluting the water, but I was afraid I would lose my job if I blew the whistle on it.

Usage notes: usually something bad is shown in the hope of correcting it

See also: blow

whistling in the dark

to be confident about something although you have no good reason to be confident He wasn't very sure of his chances at the time - he was really just whistling in the dark, hoping to get some support.

See also: dark