blow the whistle
blow the whistle — idiom
1. to report dishonest, illegal, or harmful activities that are happening within a
to report dishonest, illegal, or harmful activities that are happening within a company, organization, or government department to the public or to people in authority, especially when those involved have tried to keep the activities hidden
Theo blew the whistle on the factory after managers ignored safety violations for months.
blow the whistle on [organization/group] — target of the report
A nurse at the city hospital blew the whistle when she discovered that patients were being given expired medicine.
blow the whistle when [clause of discovery]
Workers who blow the whistle on safety problems often risk losing their jobs or facing other forms of punishment.
The newspaper investigation helped Ana blow the whistle on corruption inside the local city council.
After gathering evidence, the financial officer blew the whistle to the national tax authority.
- expose
more general — can refer to revealing any secret or problem, not necessarily through official channels
- inform on
more informal and sometimes negative — suggests betraying a trust or group loyalty
- report
the most general term — can describe telling anyone in authority about anything, not just hidden wrongdoing
- cover up
to hide or prevent the discovery of wrongdoing, the opposite of revealing it
文法句型
blow the whistle on [person/organization]
blow the whistle to [authority/police/media]
blow the whistle on [person/organization] to [authority]
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'on' to indicate the person, organization, or practice being reported. The person who blows the whistle is called a 'whistleblower'. This idiom is most common in news reports and discussions about corporate fraud, government misconduct, or workplace safety violations. The corresponding noun form 'whistleblowing' refers to the act itself.