pay for one's whistle

pay for one's whistle (third-person singular simple present pays for one's whistle, present participle paying for one's whistle, simple past and past participle paid for one's whistle)

1. (dated) To pay dearly for one's caprice.
   • 1836, William Nugent Glascock, The Naval Service, page 239:

     […] the ship may be on shore before the leader of the band can be convinced how dearly he has "paid for his whistle."

   • 1891, David Christie Murray, Henry Herman, He Fell Among Thieves, page 30:

     He felt mightily experienced at this time, and realized, as he thought, quite clearly, the price he had paid for his whistle. He had had his lesson, so he told himself, and had paid for it, […]