What are some idiomatic expressions based on colors?

Tickled pink If you are tickled pink, you are extremely pleased about something.

In the pink If you are in the pink, you are fit, healthy, and happy

Pink slip Termination notice from a job

to see pink elephants: to be drunk

Blue

Feel blue If you are feeling blue, you are feeling sad or depressed often when there is no particular reason.

He was alone on his birthday and feeling blue. Then his girlfriend called and invited him out, and he felt better.

Once in a blue moon If you say that something happens once in a blue moon, you are emphasizing that it does not happen very often at all.

Out of the blue Without any warning, by surprise.

The news of the factory's closing came out of the blue. No one was expecting it.

White/Black

White elephant If you describe something as a white elephant, you mean that it is a waste of money because it is completely useless.

White lieIf you refer to an untrue statement as a white lie, you mean that it is made to avoid hurting someone's feelings or to avoid trouble and not for an evil purpose.

I didn't feel like going out. So I told a white lie, and I said I didn't feel well.

to show the white feather: act as a coward, to show fear (from the belief that a game cock with a white feather in its tail was a poor fighter)

white feather: a sign of cowardice

Black and white You say that something is in black and white when it has been written or printed, and not just said.

I couldn't believe it, but there it was in black and white, as clear as it could be. The letter said that I had won a trip to Europe.

in the black Theo earns a thousand dollars a week. He doesn't have to worry about having enough money. He's always in the black.

the black market You can go to the bank to change dollars. But if you change money on the black market, you often get more money for each dollar.

Black sheep If you describe someone as the black sheep of their family of a group that they are a member of , you mean that they are considered bad or worthless by other people in that family or group.

pot calling the kettle black the person who is criticizing someone else is as guilty as the person he accuses

Red

In the red If a person or company is in the red or if their bank account is in the red, they have spent more money than they have in their account and therefore they owe money to the bank.

I never have enough money to pay my bills. I'm always in the red.

Red herring If you say that something is a red herring, you mean that it is irrelevant and takes your attention away from the main subject or problem you are considering.

the red carpet When the movie star visited, our town rolled out the red carpet. There was a parade and a special dinner in her honor.

Red tape You refer to official rules and procedures as red tape when they seem unnecessary and cause delay.

Every time you want to get a new passport, you have to go through a lot of red tape. It's not easy and it takes a lot of time.

Red-handed If someone is caught red-handed, they are caught while they are in the act of doing something wrong.

See red Become very angry

Green

the green light The bank has given us the money. Now we have the green light to start the project.

Give someone the green light If someone in authority gives a green light to something, they give permission for it to happen or be done.

Green with envy Very jealous, full of envy

I was green with envy when I learned that Luis had won a trip to Europe.

a green belt: an area of woodlands and fields around a city

Green thumb If you say that someone has green thumb ( fingers), you mean that they are very good at gardening and their plants grow well.

With flying colors With great or total success

The letter came out of the blue! I wasn't expecting it. But there it was in black and white, signed by the bank manager. I had no money in my checking account. I was in the red. I couldn't believe it. So I went to see the manager. We looked at the problem together. The bank had made a mistake. It had put ten dollars into my account instead of one thousand dollars! Because it was the bank's mistake, there was no delay reopening my account. The manager cut through all the red tape. Now I had money in my account. And I had the green light to write checks again.

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