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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
To Whistle for It (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "To Whistle for It"?
The term to whistle for it means to ask for something with little chance of obtaining it. The term derives from when sail ships were stuck at sea with no wind to fill their sails. In such conditions, sailors would whistle in attempt to summon a wind. Somewhat unsurprisingly, this made little difference to wind conditions.Table of Contents
- English Proverbs and Idioms Test
- More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms
Examples of Use:
- When I asked for a promotion, the CEO said I might as well whistle for it.
- The boss promised he'd pay us overtime for the late evenings, but when I asked him for the extra money, he told me to whistle for it.
- Jack doesn't pay his bets. When I tried to collect the beer I'd won off him, he told me to whistle for it.
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Self Help
Buy the Grammar Monster book.
Suitable for: Teachers, advanced students, and business writers.
Description: Published by London's Octopus Publishing, "Smashing Grammar" is the third, and most comprehensive, grammar reference book written by Craig Shrives (the founder of the Grammar-Monster.com). It is divided into three sections:
Description: Published by London's Octopus Publishing, "Smashing Grammar" is the third, and most comprehensive, grammar reference book written by Craig Shrives (the founder of the Grammar-Monster.com). It is divided into three sections:
- A-Z Grammar Glossary (This section explains grammar terminology, from the basics to advanced terms. It is especially useful because every entry concludes with a valuable and succinct explanation of why the grammar term matters for a writer.)
- A-Z of Punctuation (Packed with entertaining examples, this section provides definitive, well-explained rules for using all the principal punctuation marks. Punctuation should not be guesswork. There are rules.)
- A-Z of Easily Confused Words (This section covers all the homonyms and near homonyms that plague writers and offers tips on how to remember which to use.)
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