Idioms are phrases or expressions that does not mean what it literally says. In other words, it is a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language (in this case English) and usually cannot be translated literally.
Given below are a list of Color related Idioms and their Definitions. For other types of idioms, check out the Related Article section at the end of this post. Now go a head and learn what you can and use these expressions or phrases to make your language more colorful.
English Color Idioms
Black Idioms
as black as coalMeaning: very black.
black eyeMeaning: a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black; a bad reputation.
black marketMeaning: the place where goods or money are illegally bought and sold; a system of buying and selling officially controlled goods illegally.
blackmailMeaning: to extort/take money from someone by threats to divulge
black listMeaning: list of unwanted people; a list of disapproved people or groups who are under suspicion or excluded from something; to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some rules.
blackoutMeaning: loss of electricity; to lose consciousness; temporary withholding of information.
black sheepMeaning: somebody regarded by the other members of a family or group as not living up to their standards and expectations (a misfit); a person who is a disgrace or embarrassment to a family or group.
in the blackMeaning: successful or profitable; not showing a financial loss.
blackballMeaning: to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone; The act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto.
black-tie event/affairMeaning: a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets.
in (someone's) black booksMeaning: to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone.
pitch-blackMeaning: very black, as black as pitch.
pot calling the kettle blackMeaning: the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she criticizes/accuses; criticizing others for the very fault one possesses.
Black and Blue Idioms
black and blueMeaning: bruised
Black and white Idioms
black and whiteMeaning: simple, clear and understandable; clearly distinct or different; either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between; in writing, officially.
put down in black and whiteMeaning: to write the details of a contract or something on paper.
Brown Idioms
as brown as a berryMeaning: having the skin tanned brown by the sun.
brown bag itMeaning: to take a lunch to work or elsewhere, usually in a small brown paper bag.
brownoutMeaning: partial loss of electricity; dimming of lights - so named because it typically causes lights to dim.
brown-noseMeaning: slightly vulgar, refers to flattering (please) someone in a position of power in order to obtain favors, in a way that other people find unpleasant .
in a brown studyMeaning: seriously contemplating something.
Blue Idioms
BlueMeaning: sad
blue bloodMeaning: royal, regal; : the blood of a noble/aristocratic family.
blue funkMeaning: very depressed
blue moviesMeaning: movies with explicit sex.
blue ribbonMeaning: first rate; of superior quality; the best of a group; the highest distinction or first prize in a particular field.
blue-collar workersMeaning: laborers; manual workers
a blue-eyed boyMeaning: a boy/young man who has been singled out for special favors by someone in authority; a boy/young man who is liked and admired by someone in authority.
to appear/happen out of the blueMeaning: to happen very suddenly and unexpectedly.
to blue pencil somethingMeaning: to censor something.
to look / feel blueMeaning: to look / feel depressed or discontented.
blue in the faceMeaning: Exhausted from anger, strain, or other great effort; weakened, tired after trying many times.
once in a blue moonMeaning: to occur extremely rarely or only once in a life-time.
feel blueMeaning: depressed
get/have the bluesMeaning: to become sad or depressed.
out of the blueMeaning: without any warning, by surprise.
talk a blue streakMeaning: to talk very much and very rapidly.
talk until one is blue in the faceMeaning: to talk until one is exhausted.
Gray Idioms
get/have gray hairMeaning: to have one's hair turn gray from stress.
a gray areaMeaning: something that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer, and is therefore difficult to deal with.
gray matterMeaning: brains, intelligence
get/have gray hairMeaning: to have one's hair turn gray from stress.
to go grayMeaning: become gray-haired.
Green Idioms
greenMeaning: to be inexperienced or immature.
be green with envyMeaning: very jealous of another person's property; wishing very much that you had what someone else has.
get/have the green lightMeaning: to receive a signal to start or continue something; to give permission for someone; approve a project or request.
grass is always greener on the other sideMeaning: a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now; a different situation always seems better than one's own.
green beltMeaning: the countryside around a city; an area of fields and trees around a city or town.
green-fingeredMeaning: to be good at keeping plants healthy and making them grow.
green around the gillsMeaning: looking sick
green-eyed monsterMeaning: jealousy
green thumbMeaning: a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
green with envyMeaning: to be very jealous, to be full of envy
greenhornMeaning: an untrained/inexperienced/naive person
Pink Idioms
pink ladyMeaning: an alcoholic drink
pink-collar workersMeaning: office workers, esp. women
pinkiesMeaning: the little fingers
tickled pinkMeaning: very happy
in the pink
Meaning: in very good health
pink slipMeaning: a termination notice from a job
pink elephantsMeaning: any visual hallucination arising from heavy drinking or use of narcotics.
see pink elephantsMeaning: to see things which are not really there, and exist only in ones imagination.
tickled pinkMeaning: to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something.
Red Idioms
catch red-handedMeaning: to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
red tapeMeaning: bureaucracy; official procedure regarded as unnecessary, overcomplicated, or obstructive; excessive formalities in official business.
roll out the red carpetMeaning: give the best treatment; to give a big welcome to someone; to treat someone as an honored guest.
red-carpet treatmentMeaning: to receive special/royal treatment.
to see redMeaning: very angry.
red herringMeaning: any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue/ something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand.
red-faced/ red in the faceMeaning: embarrassed
as red as a cherryMeaning: bright red
as red as a roseMeaning: intensely red
as red as a poppyMeaning: bright red
as red as a rubyMeaning: deep red
as red as bloodMeaning: deep red
in the redMeaning: to be in debt; to be unprofitable; showing a financial loss.
like waving a red flag in front of a bullMeaning: what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset.
out of the redMeaning: out of debt
paint the town redMeaning: to go out and party and have a good time.
red-eyeMeaning: an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning; an unwanted photographic effect in which a person's iris appears to be red.
a red flagMeaning: a signal that something is not working properly or correctly; warning signal.
red-hotMeaning: very hot, creating much excitement or demand.
red-letter dayMeaning: a day that is memorable because of some important event.
see redMeaning: to become very angry.
Rainbow Idioms
chase rainbowsMeaning: to try to get or achieve something that is difficult or impossible.
White Idioms
white lieMeaning: a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings; small, insignificant lie.
white as a sheetMeaning: very pale, frightened
white-collar workersMeaning: management; non-manual workers, e.g.. office clerical, supervisory sales, technical workers and professional workers.
as white as a ghostMeaning: very pale because of fear/shock/illness.
as white as the driven snowMeaning: very white
carte blanche (French)
Meaning: the freedom or permission to do what you want.
raise/wave a white flagMeaning: to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up.
white elephantMeaning: a burdensome possession; creating more trouble than it is worth; a rare, expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain and has no useful purpose - a useless possession.
white saleMeaning: the selling of towels, bed linens, sheets and similar goods at a reduced price.
white-tie event/affairMeaning: a function that requires guests to wear formal dress. The basic uniform for men include a full evening tailcoat, a white shirt, vest, matching black pants, a white bow tie and black leather shoes.
whitewashMeaning: to conceal or make light of a fault/error or offense; to cover up the truth.
Yellow Idioms
be yellowMeaning: be a coward
have a yellow streakMeaning: to be cowardly
YellowMeaning: cowardly
Yellow-belliedMeaning: extremely timid, coward, not brave.
the yellow pressMeaning: popular and sensationalist newspapers; newspapers that deliberately include sensational news items to attract readers.
General Color related Idioms
dyed-in-the-woolMeaning: always, permanent
look at/see the world through rose-colored glassesMeaning: to see only the good things about something; to be too optimistic.
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English is an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch and is the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the Commonwealth countries while French, is the language of France. It is a Romance language spoken not only in France but also in countries colonized by France - in Africa, the Caribbean and Oceania. The French language is also spoken in parts of Belgium, Switzerland, French Guiana, Indochina, Northwestern Africa, Haiti, parts of Canada and Madagascar.
R. Edmondson
United States
