Meaning of pay for one's whistle | Babel Free

Definitions

To pay dearly for one's caprice.

dated

Examples

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

“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, […]”

CEFR level