blow the whistle on someone or something Definition

whistle
noun

1a. A shrill sound produced through pursed lips or through the teeth, used to signal or to express surprise, etc;

Thesaurus: warble, call, cheep, chirp, song, siren.
1b. The act of making this sound.
2. Any of several similar sounds, eg the call of a bird or the shrill sigh of the wind.
3. A small hand-held device used for making a similar sound, used especially as a signal, eg as blown by a referee to regulate play on the pitch.
4. Any of several devices which produce a similar sound by the use of steam, eg a railway locomotive or a kettle.
5. A simple wind instrument consisting of a wooden or metal pipe with finger holes.

verb whistled, whistling

tr & intr
1. To produce a whistle through pursed lips or teeth; to perform (a tune), signal or communicate with this sound.
2. To summon them or it with a whistle.

Form: whistle up someone (often)
Form: whistle up something
tr & intr
3. To blow or play on a whistle.
intr
4. Said of a kettle or locomotive: to emit a whistling sound.
intr
5. Said of the wind: to make a shrill sound.
tr & intr
6. Said of a bird: to sing.

Thesaurus: warble, sing, call, cheep, chirp.
intr
7. Said of a bullet, etc: to whizz through the air.

Idiom: blow the whistle on someone or something

To expose them (or their illegal or dishonest practices) to the authorities.

To declare it to be illegal. See also whistle-blower.

Idiom: as clean as a whistle (as clear as a whistle, as dry as a whistle)

Very clean, clear or dry.

Idiom: wet one's whistle

colloq
To have a drink; to quench one's thirst.

Idiom: whistle down the wind

To abandon something or let it go.

Idiom: whistle in the dark

To do something (eg whistle or talk brightly) to quell or deny one's fear.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hwistlian to whistle.

Phrasal Verb: whistle for something

To expect it in vain.