whistle past the graveyard

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

whistle 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)

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

• whistle Dixie
• whistle down the wind
• whistle in the dark
• whistle in the wind