Color idioms

Here are 100 color idioms along with their meanings and example sentences:

**Red Idioms:**

1. **Seeing Red**
– **Meaning:** To become very angry or furious.
– **Example:** When he found out they lost his luggage, he was seeing red.

2. **Caught Red-Handed**
– **Meaning:** To be discovered in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.
– **Example:** The security camera caught the thief red-handed.

3. **Roll Out the Red Carpet**
– **Meaning:** To treat someone with special attention or welcome them warmly.
– **Example:** The company rolled out the red carpet for the new CEO.

4. **Red Tape**
– **Meaning:** Excessive bureaucracy and paperwork that can slow down a process.
– **Example:** Dealing with government regulations often involves a lot of red tape.

5. **Red Letter Day**
– **Meaning:** A memorable and special day.
– **Example:** Our wedding day was a red letter day in our lives.

**Green Idioms:**

6. **The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side**
– **Meaning:** People tend to think other people’s situations are better than their own.
– **Example:** Jane thinks Sarah’s job is better, but the grass is always greener on the other side.

7. **Green Light**
– **Meaning:** Permission to proceed or start something.
– **Example:** They finally got the green light to begin construction on the new building.

8. **Green with Envy**
– **Meaning:** Extremely jealous or envious.
– **Example:** She turned green with envy when she saw her friend’s new car.

9. **Green Thumb**
– **Meaning:** A talent or skill for gardening and growing plants.
– **Example:** My grandmother has a green thumb; her garden is beautiful.

10. **Green-Eyed Monster**
– **Meaning:** Jealousy or envy.
– **Example:** Her success had him feeling the green-eyed monster.

**Blue Idioms:**

11. **Feeling Blue**
– **Meaning:** Feeling sad or depressed.
– **Example:** After the breakup, she was feeling blue for weeks.

12. **Out of the Blue**
– **Meaning:** Unexpectedly or suddenly.
– **Example:** His job offer came out of the blue; he wasn’t even looking for a new job.

13. **Into Thin Air**
– **Meaning:** Disappearing completely and without a trace.
– **Example:** The stolen artwork seemed to vanish into thin air.

14. **Once in a Blue Moon**
– **Meaning:** Very rarely or infrequently.
– **Example:** We only visit our grandparents once in a blue moon.

15. **Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea**
– **Meaning:** Facing a difficult choice with no good options.
– **Example:** She was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea when deciding between two job offers.

**Yellow Idioms:**

16. **Yellow-Bellied**
– **Meaning:** Cowardly or lacking courage.
– **Example:** He didn’t want to confront the problem, so he acted like a yellow-bellied coward.

17. **Mellow Yellow**
– **Meaning:** Relaxed and easygoing.
– **Example:** After a long vacation, he returned to work feeling mellow yellow.

18. **Yellow Flag**
– **Meaning:** A warning or signal of caution.
– **Example:** The yellow flag at the beach warned swimmers of dangerous currents.

19. **Yellow Journalism**
– **Meaning:** Sensationalist and biased reporting in the media.
– **Example:** Some newspapers are known for their yellow journalism, exaggerating stories to sell more copies.

20. **Yellow Brick Road**
– **Meaning:** A path to success or a bright future.
– **Example:** She hoped her education would be her yellow brick road to a better life.

**Purple Idioms:**

21. **Born to the Purple**
– **Meaning:** Born into royalty or a privileged position.
– **Example:** The prince was born to the purple, with all the privileges of the royal family.

22. **Purple Patch**
– **Meaning:** A period of success or good fortune.
– **Example:** His career had a purple patch when he won three consecutive championships.

23. **Purple Haze**
– **Meaning:** A state of confusion or disorientation.
– **Example:** After staying up all night, he was in a purple haze the next morning.

24. **Purple Prose**
– **Meaning:** Overly elaborate or flowery language in writing.
– **Example:** The author’s use of purple prose made the novel difficult to read.

25. **Purple Heart**
– **Meaning:** A military decoration for soldiers wounded or killed in combat.
– **Example:** He received a purple heart for his bravery in battle.

**White Idioms:**

26. **White as a Sheet**
– **Meaning:** Extremely pale, often due to fear or shock.
– **Example:** When she saw the ghost, she turned white as a sheet.

27. **Raise the White Flag**
– **Meaning:** To surrender or admit defeat.
– **Example:** After hours of negotiations, they had to raise the white flag and accept the terms.

28. **White Lie**
– **Meaning:** A small, harmless lie told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.
– **Example:** She told a white lie when she said she liked the gift.

29. **Black and White Thinking**
– **Meaning:** Seeing things as either completely right or completely wrong, with no middle ground.
– **Example:** His black and white thinking made it hard for him to compromise.

30. **White Elephant**
– **Meaning:** Something costly or burdensome to maintain but with little value.
– **Example:** The old mansion had become a white elephant for its owners.

**Gray Idioms:**

31. **Gray Area**
– **Meaning:** A situation or issue that is unclear or lacks distinct boundaries.
– **Example:** The ethics of the situation were a gray area, making it hard to decide what to do.

32. **Gray Matter**
– **Meaning:** Intelligence or intellectual capacity.
– **Example:** She had plenty of gray matter to solve complex problems.

33. **Gray Hair**
– **Meaning:** A sign of aging.
– **Example:** He started getting gray hair in his thirties.

34. **Cast in Concrete**
– **Meaning:** Fixed or unchangeable.
– **Example:** The decision seemed to be cast in concrete; there was no room for negotiation.

35. **Gray Power**
– **Meaning:** Influence or control exerted by older people.
– **Example:** The organization was gaining gray power as more seniors joined its ranks.

**Pink Idioms:**

36. **In the Pink**
– **Meaning:** In good health and excellent condition.
– **Example:** After his recovery, he was back to being in the pink of

health.

37. **Pink Slip**
– **Meaning:** A notice of termination from a job.
– **Example:** After the company’s financial troubles, many employees received pink slips.

38. **Pink Panther**
– **Meaning:** A term for a clever and elusive criminal.
– **Example:** The detective was determined to catch the pink panther responsible for the heists.

39. **See Pink Elephants**
– **Meaning:** To hallucinate, typically due to excessive drinking or drug use.
– **Example:** After a night of heavy drinking, he claimed to see pink elephants.

40. **Paint the Town Pink**
– **Meaning:** To go out and have a wild and enjoyable time.
– **Example:** They decided to paint the town pink on their girls’ night out.

**Brown Idioms:**

41. **Brown Bag It**
– **Meaning:** To bring one’s own food, typically in a brown paper bag, instead of eating out.
– **Example:** I usually brown bag it for lunch to save money.

42. **Brownie Points**
– **Meaning:** Recognition or praise for doing something good or helpful.
– **Example:** She earned brownie points with her boss by finishing the project ahead of schedule.

43. **Brown as a Berry**
– **Meaning:** Having a deep tan from sun exposure.
– **Example:** After a summer at the beach, she was as brown as a berry.

44. **Brown Nose**
– **Meaning:** To excessively flatter or seek favor from someone in authority.
– **Example:** He’s always brown-nosing the boss to get ahead at work.

45. **Brown Bag Special**
– **Meaning:** A low-cost meal or deal, often offered at lunchtime.
– **Example:** The diner’s brown bag special includes a sandwich, fries, and a drink for only $5.

**Black Idioms:**

46. **Black Sheep**
– **Meaning:** A family member who is considered an embarrassment or behaves differently from others in the family.
– **Example:** She’s the black sheep of the family because she chose a different career path.

47. **Black and Blue**
– **Meaning:** Bruised or beaten, often used to describe physical injuries.
– **Example:** After the accident, he was black and blue from head to toe.

48. **Black Out**
– **Meaning:** To lose consciousness or memory temporarily.
– **Example:** He blacked out after the impact of the collision.

49. **Black Market**
– **Meaning:** An illegal or underground market where goods are bought and sold outside of official channels.
– **Example:** During the war, a black market for essential goods emerged.

50. **Black Tie**
– **Meaning:** A formal dress code requiring a tuxedo or evening gown.
– **Example:** The invitation said it’s a black tie event, so I’ll need to rent a tuxedo.

**Silver Idioms:**

51. **Silver Lining**
– **Meaning:** Finding a positive aspect in a challenging or negative situation.
– **Example:** The silver lining of the job loss was having more time to spend with family.

52. **Born with a Silver Spoon in One’s Mouth**
– **Meaning:** Born into a wealthy and privileged family.
– **Example:** She’s always had everything she wanted; she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

53. **Silver Screen**
– **Meaning:** The film industry or the movies in general.
– **Example:** He dreamed of making it big on the silver screen.

54. **Silver Bullet**
– **Meaning:** A simple and effective solution to a complex problem.
– **Example:** There’s no silver bullet for solving the climate crisis; it requires multiple strategies.

55. **Silver Fox**
– **Meaning:** An attractive and stylish older person, often with gray or silver hair.
– **Example:** George Clooney is often referred to as a silver fox.

**Orange Idioms:**

56. **Orange Is the New Black**
– **Meaning:** Suggesting that something new or different is replacing something old or traditional.
– **Example:** In fashion, they say that orange is the new black this season.

57. **Agent Orange**
– **Meaning:** A toxic herbicide used during the Vietnam War, associated with health issues for veterans.
– **Example:** Exposure to Agent Orange has had long-term health effects on some veterans.

58. **The Orange Bowl**
– **Meaning:** A prestigious college football game held annually.
– **Example:** The Orange Bowl is one of the major college football bowl games.

59. **Oranges and Lemons**
– **Meaning:** A reference to a traditional nursery rhyme or children’s game.
– **Example:** The children played a game of oranges and lemons in the schoolyard.

60. **Like Squeezing Blood from a Turnip**
– **Meaning:** Attempting to get something that is very difficult or impossible to obtain.
– **Example:** Getting a response from him is like squeezing blood from a turnip; he never replies to emails.

**Gold Idioms:**

61. **Heart of Gold**
– **Meaning:** Having a kind, generous, and compassionate nature.
– **Example:** Despite his tough exterior, he had a heart of gold.

62. **All That Glitters Is Not Gold**
– **Meaning:** Things that appear valuable or attractive on the surface may not be so in reality.
– **Example:** The fancy car he bought turned out to be a lemon; all that glitters is not gold.

63. **Golden Opportunity**
– **Meaning:** A favorable and rare chance to achieve something important.
– **Example:** She saw the job offer as a golden opportunity to advance her career.

64. **Go for the Gold**
– **Meaning:** To strive for excellence and success.
– **Example:** In the upcoming competition, our team is determined to go for the gold.

65. **Golden Rule**
– **Meaning:** The principle of treating others as you would like to be treated.
– **Example:** The golden rule is to treat people with kindness and respect.

**Rainbow Idioms:**

66. **Chasing Rainbows**
– **Meaning:** Pursuing something unattainable or unrealistic.
– **Example:** He’s always chasing rainbows, looking for the perfect job that doesn’t exist.

67. **A Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow**
– **Meaning:** A metaphor for a highly desirable but ultimately unattainable reward.
– **Example:** Winning the lottery is often seen as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

68. **Rainbow Coalition**
– **Meaning:** A diverse group or alliance of people, often with different backgrounds or interests.
– **Example:** The organization is a rainbow coalition of activists fighting for various causes.

69. **Over the Rainbow**
– **Meaning:** A place or situation that is ideal or perfect.
– **Example:** She dreamed of finding a job where she’d be over the rainbow happy

.

70. **Rainbows and Butterflies**
– **Meaning:** A metaphor for an idealized or overly optimistic view of life.
– **Example:** His talk of a perfect world was all rainbows and butterflies, not grounded in reality.

**Crimson Idioms:**

71. **Crimson Tide**
– **Meaning:** A period of intense emotion or activity.
– **Example:** The political campaign brought a crimson tide of excitement to the town.

72. **Crimson with Rage**
– **Meaning:** Extremely angry or furious.
– **Example:** When she found out about the betrayal, she was crimson with rage.

73. **Red as a Lobster**
– **Meaning:** Sunburned, with skin turning red from sun exposure.
– **Example:** After a day at the beach without sunscreen, he came back red as a lobster.

74. **Crimson Carpet**
– **Meaning:** A luxurious and extravagant red carpet, often used in high-profile events.
– **Example:** Celebrities walked down the crimson carpet at the movie premiere.

75. **Crimson-faced**
– **Meaning:** Embarrassed or ashamed, with one’s face turning red.
– **Example:** He was crimson-faced when he realized he had been speaking with spinach in his teeth.

**Violet Idioms:**

76. **Violet Hour**
– **Meaning:** A poetic term for the time of evening when the sun has set but there is still some light in the sky.
– **Example:** They enjoyed romantic walks during the violet hour.

77. **Shrinking Violet**
– **Meaning:** A shy and introverted person who avoids attention.
– **Example:** She used to be a shrinking violet, but now she’s more confident and outgoing.

78. **Violet Tendencies**
– **Meaning:** Suggesting a person’s inclination toward unconventional or non-traditional behavior or interests.
– **Example:** Her violet tendencies included a love for alternative music and art.

79. **Purple Patch**
– **Meaning:** A period of exceptional success or good fortune.
– **Example:** The team’s purple patch saw them winning seven games in a row.

80. **Violet Riot**
– **Meaning:** A colorful and lively event or celebration.
– **Example:** The music festival turned into a violet riot of music, art, and dancing.

**Indigo Idioms:**

81. **Indigo Child**
– **Meaning:** A concept that suggests some children possess unique spiritual and intuitive qualities.
– **Example:** The teacher believed that Sarah was an indigo child due to her advanced artistic talents.

82. **Indigo Dreams**
– **Meaning:** Referring to dreams that are deep, mysterious, or filled with symbolism.
– **Example:** She had indigo dreams that inspired her artwork.

83. **Indigo Blue**
– **Meaning:** A shade of blue that is deep and rich.
– **Example:** The artist used indigo blue to create a striking contrast in the painting.

84. **Into the Indigo**
– **Meaning:** Going into the unknown or exploring deeper levels of consciousness.
– **Example:** The meditation session took them into the indigo realm of the mind.

85. **Indigo Child Syndrome**
– **Meaning:** A term used to describe children who are believed to possess special, intuitive, or psychic abilities.
– **Example:** Some people claim that their children have indigo child syndrome.

**Teal Idioms:**

86. **Teal Tornado**
– **Meaning:** A whimsical and playful term for a tornado.
– **Example:** The weather reporter referred to the storm as a teal tornado to lighten the mood.

87. **Teal Appeal**
– **Meaning:** A metaphor for something that is aesthetically pleasing due to its teal color.
– **Example:** The teal appeal of the room’s decor made it a favorite among guests.

88. **Teal Talk**
– **Meaning:** Conversations or discussions centered around teal-related topics.
– **Example:** The workshop focused on teal talk, discussing the significance of the color in various cultures.

89. **Into the Teal**
– **Meaning:** Embarking on a journey or exploration, often with an unknown destination.
– **Example:** The adventurers set out into the teal, uncharted waters of the ocean.

90. **Teal Tidings**
– **Meaning:** News or information delivered with a teal-colored theme or context.
– **Example:** The magazine featured teal tidings about the latest fashion trends.

**Aqua Idioms:**

91. **Aqua Therapy**
– **Meaning:** The use of water-based activities for therapeutic purposes.
– **Example:** She engaged in aqua therapy to help alleviate her joint pain.

92. **Aquatic Adventures**
– **Meaning:** Exciting and water-related activities or experiences.
– **Example:** Their vacation included aquatic adventures like snorkeling and kayaking.

93. **Aqua Affair**
– **Meaning:** An event or gathering with a water-themed or aquatic focus.
– **Example:** The summer festival was a grand aqua affair with water games and activities.

94. **Aqua Aura**
– **Meaning:** A metaphor for a sense of tranquility and calm associated with bodies of water.
– **Example:** The sound of the waves created an aqua aura of relaxation.

95. **Aqua Dreams**
– **Meaning:** Dreams or aspirations related to water-based activities or experiences.
– **Example:** Her aqua dreams included sailing around the world.

**Brown Idioms:**

96. **Brown-Eyed Girl**
– **Meaning:** A term of endearment for a woman with brown eyes.
– **Example:** He often referred to his wife as his brown-eyed girl.

97. **Browning the Meat**
– **Meaning:** A culinary term for the process of cooking meat until it turns brown, often as a preparation step.
– **Example:** The recipe calls for browning the meat before adding other ingredients.

98. **Brownie Points**
– **Meaning:** Recognition or praise for doing something good or helpful.
– **Example:** She earned brownie points with her boss by finishing the project ahead of schedule.

99. **Brown Nose**
– **Meaning:** To excessively flatter or seek favor from someone in authority.
– **Example:** He’s always brown-nosing the boss to get ahead at work.

100. **Brown Bag It**
– **Meaning:** To bring one’s own food, typically in a brown paper bag, instead of eating out.
– **Example:** I usually brown bag it for lunch to save money.

These 100 color idioms use various colors as metaphors to convey a wide range of meanings and concepts in everyday language. They add depth, color, and nuance to communication, making it more vivid and engaging.