whistle past the graveyard

verb

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

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Meanings

verbwhistle past the graveyard (third-person singular simple present whistles past the graveyard, present participle whistling past the graveyard, simple past and past participle whistled past the graveyard)

present singular third person whistles past the graveyard · participle present whistling past the graveyard · participle past whistled past the graveyard · past whistled past the graveyard

  1. USidiomaticTo attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation; to proceed with a task, ignoring an upcoming hazard, hoping for a good outcome.
  2. USidiomaticTo enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
whistle in the dark

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 对着墓地吹口哨，指在害怕时故作轻松, 对着墓地吹口哨，指对恶劣的情况视而不见
  • 对着墓地吹口哨，指在害怕时故作轻松to try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • 对着墓地吹口哨，指对恶劣的情况视而不见to ignore a bad situation
Finnish pitää päänsä pystyssä, lähteä soitellen sotaan
  • pitää päänsä pystyssäto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • lähteä soitellen sotaanto ignore a bad situation
French regarder ailleurs, arriver comme une fleur
  • regarder ailleursto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • arriver comme une fleurto ignore a bad situation
German der Angst ins Gesicht lachen, die Angst weglachen
  • der Angst ins Gesicht lachento try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • die Angst weglachento try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • zweckoptimistisch seinto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • gute Mine zum bösen Spiel machento try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • blauäugig seinto ignore a bad situation
Italian far buon viso a cattivo gioco, andare a passeggio su un campo minato
  • far buon viso a cattivo giocoto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • andare a passeggio su un campo minatoto ignore a bad situation
Korean 두려우면서도 두렵지 않은것처럼 행동한다
  • 두려우면서도 두렵지 않은것처럼 행동한다 (duryeoumyeonseodo duryeopji aneun'geotcheoreom haengdonghanda)to try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
Polish robić dobrą minę do złej gry, zrobić dobrą minę do złej gry
  • robić dobrą minę do złej gryto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • zrobić dobrą minę do złej gryto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • igrać z ogniemto ignore a bad situation
Portuguese manter as esperanças
  • manter as esperançasto try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
Russian мо́ре по коле́но, игра́ть с огнём
  • мо́ре по коле́но (móre po koléno)to try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • игра́ть с огнём (igrátʹ s ognjóm)to ignore a bad situation
Spanish poner buena cara, hacerse el tonto
  • poner buena carato try to be cheerful in the face of one's fears
  • hacerse el tontoto ignore a bad situation
  • hacerse el sonzoto ignore a bad situation
Cite this entry
APA

whistle past the graveyard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistle%20past%20the%20graveyard

MLA

“whistle past the graveyard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistle%20past%20the%20graveyard. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whistle past the graveyard,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistle%20past%20the%20graveyard.

Source: whistle past the graveyard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.