whistle for

present singular third person whistles for · participle present whistling for · participle past whistled for · past whistled for

1. idiomaticTo request or ask for with no chance of success.

   And if it was milk I was after from that environment I could clearly whistle for it.

   2014, Tess Read, The Secret Diary of Eric Cowell - Aged 6 1/2 months, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   If we wanted something we could whistle for it - but if the Australians wanted something you'd got to get it for them, or else.

   2009, Max Arthur, We Will Remember Them: Voices from the Aftermath of the Great War, →ISBN

   She could whistle for it now; she wouldn't get a penny from him even if she crawled on all fours.

   2012, Joan Jonker, Walking My Baby Back Home, →ISBN

   And as for ceilings, you can whistle for them. I have lived in this house for six years and it hasn't hurt me.

   1973, Doris Lessing, The Grass is Singing, →ISBN, page 96

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see whistle, for.