English Idioms Related to Colors

Color Idioms in English with Definitions and Examples

Sharing is caring!

Color Idioms in English with Definitions and Examples

Colors surround us in our everyday lives, and they also pop up in the way we talk.

We frequently use phrases that involve colors to share our thoughts, feelings, or describe different situations.

These phrases are known as idiomatic expressions or idioms.

Let’s jump into the vibrant world of idioms and see what they really mean!

Red Idioms

“Red-handed

Meaning: Caught in the act of doing something wrong

Example: The thief was caught red-handed trying to steal a wallet.

“See red”

Meaning: To become very angry

Example: When John heard the insult, he saw red and started yelling.

“Red tape”

Meaning: Excessive bureaucracy or regulations

Example: Getting a building permit involves a lot of red tape and paperwork.

“Red carpet treatment”

Meaning: Special treatment given to important people

Example: The movie star received the red carpet treatment at the premiere.

“Red herring”

Meaning: Something that distracts attention from the main issue

Example: The detective realized the broken window was just a red herring in the case.

Blue Idioms

“Out of the blue”

Meaning: Unexpectedly or suddenly

Example: My old friend called me out of the blue after ten years.

“Feel blue”

Meaning: To feel sad or depressed

Example: Sarah felt blue after failing her exam.

“Blue blood”

Meaning: Of noble or aristocratic descent

Example: The prince comes from a family of blue blood.

“Once in a blue moon”

Meaning: Very rarely

Example: I only eat fast food once in a blue moon.

“Blue-collar”

Meaning: Relating to manual or industrial work

Example: My father had a blue-collar job at the factory for 30 years.

Green Idioms

“Green thumb”

Meaning: Skill in growing plants

Example: My grandmother has a green thumb; her garden is always beautiful.

“Green with envy”

Meaning: Very jealous

Example: I was green with envy when I saw my neighbor’s new car.

“Green light”

Meaning: Permission to proceed

Example: The boss gave us the green light to start the new project.

“Green around the gills”

Meaning: Looking sick or nauseous

Example: After the roller coaster ride, Tom looked a bit green around the gills.

“Green”

Meaning: Inexperienced or naive

Example: The new employee was still green and needed a lot of training.

Yellow Idioms

“Yellow-bellied”

Meaning: Cowardly

Example: Don’t be yellow-bellied; face your fears!

“Yellow journalism”

Meaning: Sensationalized, exaggerated, or biased reporting

Example: The tabloid was known for its yellow journalism and scandalous stories.

“Yellow card”

Meaning: A warning in sports, especially soccer

Example: The referee showed a yellow card to the player for rough tackling.

“Mellow yellow”

Meaning: Relaxed or easy-going

Example: After a week of vacation, John was feeling mellow yellow.

“Yellow brick road”

Meaning: A path to success or happiness (from “The Wizard of Oz”)

Example: Following your passion can be your yellow brick road to success.

Black Idioms

“Black sheep”

Meaning: An odd or disreputable member of a group

Example: Uncle Tom was considered the black sheep of the family due to his unusual lifestyle.

In the black”

Meaning: Financially solvent or profitable

Example: After years of struggle, the company is finally in the black.

“Black market”

Meaning: Illegal trade in goods or services

Example: During the war, many people turned to the black market for food.

“Black and white

Meaning: Clear-cut, without ambiguity

Example: The rules are black and white; there’s no room for interpretation.

“Black tie”

Meaning: A formal dress code

Example: The invitation specified black tie, so we wore our most elegant outfits.

White Idioms

“White lie”

Meaning: A harmless or minor lie

Example: She told a white lie to avoid hurting her friend’s feelings.

“White elephant”

Meaning: A costly, troublesome possession that’s difficult to dispose of

Example: The old mansion became a white elephant for the city, requiring constant expensive repairs.

“White knight”

Meaning: A person or company that rescues another from a difficult situation

Example: The struggling business was saved by a white knight investor.

“White as a sheet”

Meaning: Very pale, usually due to fear or shock

Example: After seeing the ghost, Tom’s face turned white as a sheet.

“White-collar”

Meaning: Relating to office or professional work

Example: Many white-collar jobs now allow employees to work from home.

Gray Idioms

“Gray area”

Meaning: An undefined or unclear situation

Example: The new policy created a gray area regarding employee benefits.

“Gray matter”

Meaning: Intelligence or brains

Example: Use your gray matter to solve this puzzle!

“Gray market”

Meaning: The trade of legal goods through unauthorized channels

Example: Some people buy gray market electronics to save money.

“Gray power”

Meaning: The influence of older people as a group

Example: Gray power has become increasingly important in politics.

“Get gray hair”

Meaning: To become worried or stressed

Example: Raising teenagers is giving me gray hair!

Pink Idioms

“Pink slip”

Meaning: A notice of dismissal from employment

Example: The company handed out pink slips during the economic downturn.

“In the pink”

Meaning: In good health or spirits

Example: After recovering from the flu, Sarah was back in the pink.

“Tickled pink”

Meaning: Very pleased or amused

Example: Grandma was tickled pink when we surprised her on her birthday.

“Pink-collar”

Meaning: Relating to jobs traditionally held by women

Example: Nursing was long considered a pink-collar profession.

Rose-tinted glasses”

Meaning: An optimistic or idealistic view

Example: Looking back with rose-tinted glasses, my school days seem perfect.

More topics:

Brown Idioms

“Brown-nose”

Meaning: To flatter someone excessively to gain favor

Example: Everyone knew Tom was brown-nosing the boss for a promotion.

“Brown bag”

Meaning: To bring one’s own lunch to work or school

Example: To save money, I started brown-bagging my lunch.

“Brown study”

Meaning: Deep thought or reverie

Example: Lost in a brown study, Sarah didn’t hear the doorbell ring.

“Do something up brown”

Meaning: To do something thoroughly or well

Example: If we’re going to have a party, let’s do it up brown!

“Browned off”

Meaning: Annoyed or fed up (British English)

Example: I’m browned off with all these delays on the project.

Purple Idioms

“Purple prose”

Meaning: Overly elaborate or ornate writing

Example: The novel was full of purple prose, making it difficult to read.

“Born to the purple”

Meaning: Born into a wealthy or privileged family

Example: As a royal, she was born to the purple and never knew financial hardship.

“Purple patch”

Meaning: A period of excellent performance or good luck

Example: The team is going through a purple patch, winning every game this season.

“Purple with rage”

Meaning: Extremely angry

Example: When he saw the damage to his car, he turned purple with rage.

“Purple heart”

Meaning: A U.S. military decoration for those wounded in action

Example: The soldier received a Purple Heart for his bravery in combat.

Orange Idioms

“Orange crush”

Meaning: An intense but short-lived enthusiasm or infatuation

Example: Her orange crush on the new boy at school lasted about a week.

“Squeeze an orange”

Meaning: To extract the maximum benefit from something

Example: The company tried to squeeze an orange from the old software before upgrading.

“Agent Orange”

Meaning: A herbicide used in warfare, particularly in the Vietnam War

Example: Many veterans suffered health problems due to exposure to Agent Orange.

“Orange alert”

Meaning: A high level of alert in the U.S. color-coded terrorism threat system

Example: The airport was on orange alert following the security threat.

“Clockwork orange”

Meaning: A person or system that appears mechanical or lacking humanity (from the novel by Anthony Burgess)

Example: The strict routine made him feel like a clockwork orange, with no room for spontaneity.

Gold Idioms

“Good as gold”

Meaning: Well-behaved or genuine

Example: Despite the long wait, the children were as good as gold.

“Strike gold”

Meaning: To discover something valuable or become successful

Example: The small tech startup struck gold with their new app.

“Heart of gold”

Meaning: A very kind and generous nature

Example: Despite her tough exterior, she has a heart of gold.

“Go for the gold”

Meaning: To try to achieve the highest prize or goal

Example: In the Olympics, every athlete goes for the gold.

“Worth its weight in gold”

Meaning: Extremely valuable or useful

Example: During the drought, clean water was worth its weight in gold.

Silver Idioms

“Silver lining”

Meaning: A positive aspect of a difficult situation

Example: Losing my job was tough, but the silver lining was that I could go back to school.

“Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth”

Meaning: Born into a wealthy family

Example: As the son of a millionaire, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

“Silver tongue”

Meaning: The ability to speak persuasively

Example: The politician’s silver tongue won over many voters.

“Silver screen”

Meaning: The movie industry or movies in general

Example: She dreamed of seeing her name on the silver screen.

“Silver surfer”

Meaning: An older person who uses the internet regularly

Example: My grandmother is a silver surfer, always chatting with her friends online.

Conclusion

Colorful idioms really make our language lively and fun!

They allow us to share complicated ideas in a way that everyone can understand.

The next time you talk or write, give some of these bright expressions a try to create a clear and exciting image with your words!

Keep in mind that while these idioms are popular in English, they might not have the same meaning in other languages.

If you’re learning English or talking to someone who isn’t a native speaker, it’s helpful to explain what these colorful phrases mean.

So, go ahead and brighten up your language with these expressive idioms.

Sharing is caring!

Related Posts