The employee decided to blow the whistle on the company's illegal activities.
blow the whistle
idiomTo disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.
Origin
disputed originWhen used idiomatically, probably an allusion to a police officer blowing his or her whistle on observing a violation of the law.
After discovering that the factory was dumping waste into the river, the manager decided to blow the whistle to the local authorities.
Despite the threat of losing his pension, the accountant felt morally obligated to blow the whistle on the systemic fraud occurring within the corporation.
- 01
blow a fuse
To lose one's temper; to become enraged.
- 02
blow a hole through
To destroy the integrity or cohesion of.
- 03
blow a kiss
To kiss one's own hand, then blow on it in a direction towards the recipient.
- 04
blow away
To kill (someone) by shooting them with a firearm.
- 05
blow chunks
To vomit chunks of undigested food.
- 06
blow hot air
To engage in empty or exaggerated talk that lacks substance, credibility, or truth; to bluster.
- 07
blow hot and cold
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.
- 08
blow me
An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party (with a metaphorical connotation of fellatio).