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To make a show of bravery
- whistle in the dark (colloquial) To make a show of bravery despite one's fears; to put on a brave front.
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What does the saying 'Whistling in the dark' mean?
Why do people whistle in the dark?
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What does whistling past the graveyard mean?
Whistling in the dark. To comfort yourself via distraction when you cannot avoid a frightening situation. While her mother was in surgery, Norma tried to remember all the state capitals. It was her way of whistling in the dark. Get the Whistling in the dark mug.
If you say that someone is whistling in the dark, you mean that they are trying to remain brave and convince themselves that the situation is not as bad as it seems. I waited, trying not to feel as if I were whistling in the dark.
Whistling in the dark does not actually produce any light or dispel darkness, so if you use this phrase in a literal sense, it will not make sense. Instead, understand that this idiom means to try and stay positive or optimistic even when things seem bleak or uncertain.
To try to call up one’s courage or hopefulness in a difficult or frightening situation. The literal idea is a very old one, attested to by John Dryden in Amphitryon (1690): “I went darkling, and whistling to keep myself from being afraid.”.
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]
Whistling in the dark: Learn what the means through example! What does “Whistling in the dark” mean? "Whistling in the dark" means attempting to maintain a positive or brave demeanor in the face of a challenging or frightening situation.
Idiom: Whistling in the dark Meaning: If someone is whistling in the dark, they believe in a positive result, even though everybody else is sure it will not happen.
