ENGLISH
REFERENCE

whistle past the graveyard

idiom
Meaning

To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; to proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.


Examples
SIMPLE

He whistles past the graveyard, ignoring the fact that his company is failing.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager knows the project is doomed, but he whistles past the graveyard and continues to assign new tasks to the team.

COMPLEX

Despite the mounting evidence of an impending economic collapse, the investors continued to whistle past the graveyard, convinced that their portfolios remained entirely insulated from the coming storm.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    blast from the past

    Something or someone that a person has not seen for a long time that evokes nostalgic feelings.

  2. 02

    blow the whistle

    To 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.

  3. 03

    clean as a whistle

    Very clean.

  4. 04

    ghost from one's past

    Something unpleasant from one's past that "haunts" them (makes them feel uneasy) to the present day.

  5. 05

    live in the past

    To dwell on and ruminate about past events.

  6. 06

    not worth a whistle

    Worthless or pointless.

  7. 07

    pea-time is past

    Something is ruined or gone beyond recall.

  8. 08

    put it past

    To consider it not possible for (someone) (to do something).

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