whistle in the dark 成语
whistle in the dark|dark|whistle
v. phr.,
informal To try to stay brave and forget your fear.
Tom said he could fight the bully with one hand, but we knew that he was just whistling in the dark. (From the fact that people sometimes whistle when walking in a dark, scary place to keep up their courage.)
whistle in the dark
whistle in the dark Summon up courage in a frightening situation, make a show of bravery. For example,
They knew they were lost and were just whistling in the dark. This expression alludes to a literal attempt to keep up one's courage. [First half of 1900s]
whistle in the dark
To be abiding of a accurate aftereffect back all affirmation credibility to the contrary. Based on the polls, he's whistling in the aphotic if he thinks he's activity to bound the incumbent.Learn more: dark, whistlewhistle in the dark
Fig. to assumption aimlessly; to brainstorm as to a fact. Am I close, or am I aloof whistling in the dark? She was whistling in the dark. She has no abstraction of what's activity on.Learn more: dark, whistlewhistle in the dark
Summon up adventuresomeness in a alarming situation, accomplish a appearance of bravery. For example, They knew they were absent and were aloof whistling in the dark. This announcement alludes to a accurate attack to accumulate up one's courage. [First bisected of 1900s] Learn more: dark, whistlewhistle in the dark
pretend to be assured or unafraid. 1996 Bernard Connolly The Rotten Heart of Europe Swedish authorities had, whistling in the dark, announced of ERM ‘association’—but annihilation had appear of it. Learn more: dark, whistlewhistle in the ˈdark
try not to appearance that you are afraid, are in danger, etc: He seems assured we’ll get the money we need, but I anticipate he’s aloof whistling in the dark.Learn more: dark, whistlewhistle in the dark
in. to assumption aimlessly; to brainstorm as to a fact. She was whistling in the dark. She has no abstraction of what’s activity on. Learn more: dark, whistle whistle in the dark
To attack to accumulate one's adventuresomeness up.Learn more: dark, whistlewhistle in the dark, to
To try to alarm up one’s adventuresomeness or animation in a difficult or alarming situation. The accurate abstraction is a actual old one, accurate to by John Dryden in Amphitryon (1690): “I went darkling, and whistling to accumulate myself from actuality afraid.” An alien actor of Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack (Poor Richard, Jr., 1906) managed to amalgamate two clichés: “Whistling to accumulate the adventuresomeness up is all right, but the blare should not be wet.”Learn more: whistle