Color-related Idioms

Color-related Idioms



--> black

black and blue - bruised [from appearance]

black and white - clearly distinct or different [as in "as different as black and white"]

obvious and clear, as in print [as in "there it is, in black and white"]

black humor in literature, drama, and film, grotesque or morbid

black market market where all commerce is conducted without regard to taxation, law or regulations of trade

black out - to lose consciousness

black sheep - outcast, esp. of a family [as a single black sheep among a family of white sheep]

black tie - formal [from appropriate dress]

blackball

blacklist

blackout - loss of electricity

blackmail - to use detrimental information as leverage in controlling the actions (often extorting payment) of others

in the black

the pot calling the kettle black - a worse offender [citing the guilt of] a lesser offender

--> blue

blue - sad

blue blood - royal, regal

blue funk - very depressed [as in "she was in a blue funk"]

blue law

blue Monday

blue movies - movies with explicit sex

blue print

blue ribbon - first rate [from the customary award given for first place]

blue stocking

blue streak

blue-collar workers - laborers

blue-pencil

once in a blue moon

out of the blue

sing the blues; have the blues

true blue

--> brown

brown out - partial loss of electricity

brown nose - slightly vulgar, refers to flattering someone in a position of power in order to obtain favors

in a brown study - seriously contemplating something

--> gray

gray area - a context or section, as of a law, which is easily disputable; a "murky area"

gray matter - brain (the organ) intelligence

--> green

chiste verde ("green joke") - In Spanish, a dirty joke

green around the gills

green light

green with envy

having a green thumb - able to make plants grow well

Things are starting to green up around here - Spring has arrived [the color of new vegetation that comes with spring]

--> pink

in the pink

pink lady - an alcoholic drink

pink slip

pink-collar workers - office workers, esp women

pinkies - the little fingers

tickled pink

--> purple

born to the purple

purple passion

purple prose

--> red

in the red

one red cent

red eye

red flag

red herring - a topic thrown into a discussion in order to mislead

red hot - exciting

red hots - small spicy candies

red meat - beef

red neck

red tape - bureaucratic seemingly time-wasting paperwork

red-faced - embarrassed

red-handed - in the middle of the act

red-letter day

roll out the red carpet

to see red

--> rose

rose-colored glasses

rosy

--> white

white as a sheet - pale, frightened

white elephant

white flag

white heat

white lie

white paper

white tie

white-collar workers - management

whitewash

--> yellow

yellow - cowardly

yellow journalism

"Yellow Peril" - the (quite exaggerated) fear of the large population of China and its population growth rate

yellow-dog

to have a yellow streak down one's back - cowardly

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Ref: The Linguistic Fun Page | Ojo Haven