A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

whistle down the wind • whistle up the wind
whistle down the wind —
1
. talk purposelessly: I know I’m
trying to whistle down the wind here. But the technology is
likely to arrive sometime in the next century. 2. abandon or
sacrifice a person or thing: I was dragged out of the Senate,
against my wishes — tried to do my whole duty, and was then
unceremoniously “whistled down the wind.”
Note: 
The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the
phrase whistle against the wind—(also: whistle in the wind)
protest or argue vainly (acting against the mainstream): When
all we can do is whistle against the wind, it seems silly to even
whistle.
whistle up the wind —
1
. is used of the superstition that bad
– 333 –
whistle down the wind

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weather can be caused by whistling on board ship: Some can
manipulate the forces of the weather, while others could no
more whistle up the wind than call a bird to their hand. 2.
entertain false hopes: If he thinks that I am going to take him
back after what he has done to me, he is whistling up the wind.
white as a sheet • white as snow
white as a sheet—very pale, usually because of illness, shock
or fear: He must have done a pretty good imitation of a gang-
ster because the guy’s face turned white as a sheet.
white as snow —is said of very pure white color: Anne walked
with him to the house up the brook, over a field that was as
white as snow with daisies.
Note: 
Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase
whiter than white—said of a good and righteous man: Having
come to power promising to be “whiter than white,” Blair’s
government may find it difficult to redeem its once spotless
reputation.