Idioms - Colors

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets: 1. The girl was (very pleased) that she was chosen to represent her class at the competition. (a) blacked out (b) tickled pink (c) green with envy (d) out of the blue 2. My boss is not very flexible and he always sees things (as either good or bad). (a) in the red (b) off-color (c) with flying colors (d) in black and white 3. The government finally gave the city (permission) to build the new airport. (a) the green light (b) a horse of a different color (c) once in a blue moon (d) red tape 4. Our company has been (losing money) for three years now. (a) rolling out the red carpet (b) yellow-bellied (c) in the red (d) green 5. It was a (memorable) day when the first person walked on the moon. (a) yellow-streak (b) white-elephant (c) red-herring (d) red-letter 6. My brother passed the test to become a police officer (easily and with great success). (a) green (b) with flying colors (c) out of the blue (d) tickled pink 7. Our company told us (suddenly and without any warning) that our factory would close next month. (a) out of the blue (b) once in a blue moon (c) with flying colors (d) pitch-black 8. The mother (was very angry) when her daughter came home at three o`clock in the morning. (a) rolled out the red carpet (b) saw red (c) showed her true colors (d) looked at the world through rosecolored glasses 9. The man argued with his wife until he was (very angry) but still she would not agree with him. (a) brown bagging it (b) in the black (c) blue in the face (d) a pot calling the kettle black 10. I go to the swimming pool only (rarely) although I love to swim. (a) green around the gills (b) with flying colors (c) in the red (d) once in a blue moon

Color-related Idioms

black
o o o o o o o o o o o o o

black and blue - 1. bruised [from appearance]1 black and white - 1. clearly distinct or different [as in "as different as black and white"] 2. obvious and clear, as in print [as in "there it is, in black and white"]1 black humor2 black market2 black out2 - 1. to lose consciousness1 black sheep - 1. outcast, esp. of a family [as a single black sheep among a family of white sheep]1 black tie - 1. formal [from appropriate dress]1 blackball2 blacklist2 blackout - 1. loss of electricity4 blackmail2 - 1. to use detrimental information as leverage in controlling the actions (often extorting payment) of others1 in the black2 the pot calling the kettle black - 1. a worse offender [citing the guilt of] a lesser offender4 blue - sad3 blue blood2 - 1. royal, regal1 blue funk2 - 1. very depressed [as in "she was in a blue funk"]4 blue law2 blue Monday2 blue movies - 1. movies with explicit sex3 blue print2 blue ribbon2 - 1. first rate [from the customary award given for first place]1 blue stocking2 blue streak2 blue-collar workers - 1. laborers3 blue-pencil2 once in a blue moon2 out of the blue2 sing the blues; have the blues2 true blue2 brown out - 1. partial loss of electricity1 brown nose - 1. slightly vulgar, refers to flattering someone in a position of power in order to obtain favors4 in a brown study - 1. seriously contemplating something4 gray area - 1. a context or section, as of a law, which is easily disputable; a "murky area"7 gray matter - 1. brain (the organ) 2. intelligence1 chiste verde ("green joke") - 1. In Spanish, a dirty joke3 green around the gills2 green light2 green with envy2 having a green thumb - 1. able to make plants grow well4 Things are starting to green up around here - 1. Spring has arrived [the color of new vegetation that comes with spring]4

blue
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

brown
o o o

gray
o o

green
o o o o o o

pink
o o o o o o

in the pink2 pink lady - 1. an alcoholic drink4 pink slip2 pink-collar workers - 1. office workers, esp. women3 pinkies - 1. the little fingers4 tickled pink2 born to the purple2 purple passion2 purple prose2 in the red2 one red cent2 red eye2 red flag2 red herring - 1. a topic thrown into a discussion in order to mislead4 red hot - 1. exciting4 red hots - 1. small spicy candies4 red meat - 1. beef4 red neck2 red tape - 1. bureaucratic seemingly time-wasting paperwork.6 red-faced - 1. embarrassed3 red-handed - 1. in the middle of the act1 red-letter day2 roll out the red carpet2 to see red2 rose-colored glasses2 rosy2 white as a sheet - 1. pale, frightened4 white elephant2 white flag2 white heat2 white lie2 white paper2 white tie2 white-collar workers - 1. management3 whitewash2 yellow - cowardly4 yellow journalism2 "Yellow Peril" - 1. the (quite exaggerated) fear of the large population of China and its population growth rate.5 yellow-dog2 to have a yellow streak down one's back - 1. cowardly3

purple
o o o

red
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

rose
o o

white
o o o o o o o o

yellow
o o o o o