whistle in the dark

English edit

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Verb edit

whistle in the dark (third-person singular simple present whistles in the dark, present participle whistling in the dark, simple past and past participle whistled in the dark)

  1. (colloquial) To make a show of bravery despite one's fears; to put on a brave face.
    • 2011, Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms, Penguin, published 2012, page 6:
      Those who seriously believe ‘There'll always be an England’ are whistling in the dark.
  2. (idiomatic, US) To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

Synonyms edit

Translations edit

See also edit