| IDIOMS AND PHRASES |
MEANINGS |
| A blue-eyed boy |
A critical description of a boy or young man who is always chosen for special favours by someone in a position of superior authority. |
| A bolt from the blue |
When unexpected bad news is received |
| A golden handshake |
A significant amount of money that is paid to a retiring manager or administrator, or to a laid-off worker. |
| A golden opportunity |
An opportunity that may never come up again. |
| A grey area |
Something that is not clearly defined, and there is still a debate about whether it is “black or white” in one way or another. |
| A highly coloured report |
Refers to a report that is exaggerated or has a biased opinion. |
| A red flag |
A signal indicating that something is not working properly or is not working properly |
| A white lie |
A “small” lie or a “harmless” lie told in order to be polite and avoid hurting someone’s feelings, or doing something that is not seriously wrong. |
| A yellow streak |
Someone who has cowardice in his character |
| As white as a sheet |
When someone is in a state of great fear or anxiety |
| Beet red |
Also used to describe dark red, usually the colour of a face (beet derivative). |
| Black and blue |
Used to describe something that is seriously wounded |
| Black as a skillet |
Used to describe something very dirty, black with dirt. |
| Black as night |
In a very dark place, when it is difficult to see anything. |
| Black eye |
A bruise near the eye |
| Black market |
A term used to refer to places where goods are purchased and sold illegally for profit. |
| Black out |
This means either obscuring by turning off or obscuring the lights or losing consciousness. |
| Black sheep |
Used to describe a person who is the “weird person” in a group, and who does not integrate with others around her. It could also be used to talk about a person who is a shame or embarrassment to his or her group. |
| Black tie event/affair |
A formal event where male guests wear black bow ties with tuxedos or evening jackets. |
| Blackball someone |
Exclude or ostracize someone socially, reject them. |
| Blacklist someone |
Put someone’s name on a list if they break rules and prohibit them from participating again. |
| Blackmail someone |
Extorting or taking money from someone by using their secrets against them and threatening to reveal them to others. |
| Blood red |
Used to describe the dark red color of something |
| Blue blood |
Used to describe someone from a noble, aristocratic or rich family. |
| Blue collar |
Used to describe men used as workers or factory workers. |
| Blue in the face |
Try very hard to win someone’s agreement, but usually without success. |
| Blue pencil |
To censor something, or limit the information that is shared |
| Blue ribbon |
To be of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group |
| Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth |
born into a rich family |
| Browned off |
Being bored or bored with someone or something |
| Catch someone red-handed |
Catching someone committing a crime or doing something wrong that they shouldn’t be doing. |
| Chase rainbows |
When someone tries to get or achieve something that is difficult or impossible |
| Dyed-in-the-wool |
Used to describe someone or something that is permanent (such as wool that is dyed a certain color). |
| Feel blue |
When a person seems or feels depressed or dissatisfied |
| Golden boy |
Term given to a young man idolized for great skill, usually in sport. |
| Grass is always greener on the other side |
Used to describe a distant place, and better than, where you are now, or the situation of another person who is very different from yours. |
| Green belt |
An area of fields and trees around a city |
| Green thumb/green finger |
Used to describe someone with a talent for gardening, with the ability to grow plants. |
| Green with envy |
Used to describe someone who is extremely jealous, full of envy |
| In someone’s black books |
To be in disgrace or disgrace with someone. |
| In the black |
Meaning successful or profitable |
| Local colour |
Allows to describe the traditional characteristics of a place that give it its own character. |
| Men/boys in blue |
Used to describe the police, because of the color of their uniforms. |
| Off colour |
When someone is not feeling at his best, is very sick or uncomfortable |
| Once in a blue moon |
Occur extremely rarely, or only once in a lifetime. |
| Out of the blue |
Appearing out of nowhere without any warning, occurring suddenly or randomly by surprise |
| Paint the town red |
To go out and have a good time at a party. |
| Pitch black |
Another term for somewhere that is very dark, and you are unable to see anything. |
| Pot calling the kettle black (shorten version: pot kettle black) |
It is used when the person who hypocritically criticizes or accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she is criticizing or accusing. |
| Put something down in black and white |
Write or have written something on paper for confirmation or proof. |
| Raise a white flag |
This indicates that we have accepted the defeat and surrendered to the other party. |
| Red herring |
An unimportant subject that misleads everyone and distracts attention from the main subject. |
| Red hot |
Something new and exciting, creating a lot of demand |
| Red in the face |
Become embarrassed |
| Red tape |
A term used to refer to bureaucratic delays, excessive formalities and attention to rules and regulations, which often result in injustice to the ordinary citizen. |
| Red-carpet treatment |
(Similar to the one above) To receive special or royal treatment, and to be received with a great and warm welcome. |
| Red-eye |
A trip that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning. |
| Red-letter day |
A memorable day due to an important event |
| Roll out the red carpet |
Welcome a person with great respect and give them a warm and welcoming welcome. |
| Sail under false colours |
Pretend to be something you’re not |
| See someone’s true colours |
Understand a person’s real character, often for the first time. |
| See the colour of someone’s money |
To prove that someone has enough money for something |
| Talk a blue streak |
When someone talks a lot and very quickly |
| The silver screen |
A term for cinema |
| To be colourless |
Used to describe someone who lacks personality, and who is really boring |
| To be given something on a silver plate/platter |
When something is offered to someone with all my heart (in a metaphorical sense) |
| To be green |
Used to describe someone who is immature or inexperienced. |
| To be in the red |
To have an overdraft, be in debt to your bank or owe money to a financial institution |
| To be kept in the dark |
Keeping someone’s secret, protecting the truth |
| To be out of the red |
To be free from debt |
| To be shown the red card |
This stems from football terminology, and means being fired from your work. |
| To give/lend colour to |
To help make a story or explanation more credible and easier to believe, or to accompany something |
| To look through rose-coloured/tinted spectacles/glasses |
When someone sees things in a way that is too flattering or optimistic. |
| To paint in bright/dark colours |
Describe something flattering (bright) or unflattering (dark) |
| To see red |
Reacting with uncontrollable rage against someone or something |
| To see the red light |
Recognize the approaching danger. The red light is referred to as |
| To show one’s true colours |
Reveal your true nature |
| White as a ghost |
someone who is very pale because of pain, fear, shock or disease. |
| White collar |
A term used to refer to office workers who traditionally wear a white white-collar shirt. |
| White elephant |
A term used to describe unnecessary possession, something that is useless. |
| Whitewash something |
To conceal or conceal wrongdoing or wrongdoing |
| With flying colours |
Complete something with a lot of distinction and excellent results. |
| Yellow-bellied |
Someone who is considered a coward or extremely shy |