密歇根新闻广播 "clean as a whistle"的由来

 

Coaches, referees¹ and gym teachers are probably better authorities than we are, but we've got a feeling that whistles probably aren't very clean.

Think about it. It's a small, tight device that you force your hot, moist breath through to produce a sound. That doesn't sound like the foundation for a sterile² environment, does it?

It's no wonder a listener named Dan wants to know where the expression "clean as a whistle" comes from.

For many of you, "clean as a whistle” probably means really clean, as in not dirty. For example, "The sink was clean as a whistle after he scrubbed it." Or maybe you'dsay something like, "Since she's never even had a speeding ticket, her record is clean as a whistle."

Neither of those examples quite match the historical meaning of this expression.

The first thing you should know is that in this case, "whistle" doesn't refer to the device that a gym teacher wears around their neck. Instead, it refers to the actual sound of a whistle – sharp and loud.

Now think about what "clean" means when you say something like “the locks were cut clean off." What you’re saying is that the locks were cut off entirely³ and precisely⁴. Also, think about "clean-shaven" or "clean-cut," when "clean" means no unevenness⁵. This is the kind of "clean" in "clean as a whistle."

When this expression first came into the language, it meant "completely." Check out this quote from 1849: "A first rate shot. [His] head taken off clean as a whistle."

It's a brutal⁶ example, but you can see how "clean" in this sense means clean-cut oreven. You could also think about a branch cut from a tree, clean as a whistle.

At first, “clean as a whistle" was used interchangeably with “clear as a whistle.”However, by 1900, the “clean” version is much more common than “clear” – this has only increased over time.

What's interesting is that at some point, we decided⁷ to focus on "clean" as in "notdirty" as opposed to "clean" as in "completely." English Prof. Anne Curzan says, "As I've often said on the show, idioms mean what idoms mean. If people think that 'clean as a whistle' means really clean, then that's what it means."

How do you use this phrase?

1 referees   

n.裁判员( referee的名词复数 )；证明人；公断人；（专业性强的文章的）审阅人

参考例句：

• The fiery player has had numerous run-ins with referees. 这位脾气暴躁的队员曾和裁判员发生过无数次争吵。
• If you want to appeal, the Court of Referees will decide. 如果你要上诉，可以由仲裁法庭去判决。 来自辞典例句

2 sterile   

adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上，保持奶嘴无菌。
• The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

5 unevenness   

n. 不平坦，不平衡，不匀性

参考例句：

• This unevenness comes about because topics are developed in a logical order. 所以出现这种不平衡，是因为课题是按逻辑顺序展开的。
• I sanded the corners to take away any unevenness in the joints. 我用砂纸磨边边角角的地方，去除接头处的不均。

6 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。