Black mood

In the black

Black and white Black market Black sheep Black gold

English idioms relating to COLOURS To be in a black mood means to be irritable, angry or even depressed. Also : to be in a bad mood. To say that a person or organization is in the black means that they are financially sound, have a positive balance on their account and that they owe no money. To say that something is in black and white means that there is written proof of it. "It's an obligation. It's written in black and white in your contract." The black market refers to the illegal buying and selling of goods or currencies. The black sheep of the family is one who is very different from the others, and least respected by the other members of the family. Black gold refers to the black colour and high value of oil. This expression refers to a formal event at which men are required to wear a dinner jacket, or tuxedo, and a black bow tie. "I need to know if it's going to be a casual get-together or a black tie event." If a person looks blue around the gills, they look unwell or sick. "You should sit down. You look a bit blue around the gills." This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings. "It's usually safe to invest in a blue-chip company. If you do something until you're blue in the face, you try unsuccessfully to do something for a very long time. "I explained the situation until I was blue in the face but she wouldn't change her mind." Someone who screams blue murder shouts or complains very loudly as if something very serious has happened. "The crowd started screaming blue murder when the football match was interrupted." A blue-eyed boy is somebody's favourite. "He's the director's blue-eyed boy! If something happens out of the blue, it happens unexpectedly. "I had nearly given up hope when out of the blue I was offered a job." To say that someone is brown as a berry means that they are very tanned. To be browned off means to be bored, fed up or disheartened. e.g. Tom is browned off with his job. If you want to see the colour of somebody's money, you want to make sure that the person in question has enough money to pay you before you accept to do something. "I want to see the colour of his money before shipping the goods."

Black tie event Blue around the gills (also green or pale around the gills) Blue chip company

Blue in the face

Scream blue murder

Blue-eyed boy Out of the blue Brown as a berry Browned off See the colour of somebody's money

Show one's true colours

Golden handcuffs

Golden handshake

Golden opportunity

Golden parachute

Golden rule

When a person shows their true colours, their behaviour reveals their real nature and shows their qualities and/or weaknesses. "In times of crisis people show their true colours." The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure. A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement). A golden opportunity is a favourable time or excellent occasion which should not be missed. A golden parachute is a clause in an executive's employment contract stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits if their employment is terminated. The most important rule or principle to be remembered when doing something is called the golden rule. "When travelling abroad, the golden rule is to respect the local customs." To have green fingers means to be good at gardening. If you give or get the green light, you give or get a signal or permission to do something. "We're ready to launch the campaign as soon as we get the green light." Someone who is green with envy is a person who is very envious. To refer to something as a grey area means that it is not clear or easy to define, and is therefore difficult to deal with. "The law concerning email is still a grey area in some countries." Grey matter refers to the brain, or the grey colour of brain tissue. To have a grey existence is to lead a dull, monotonous life. This term refers to hallucinations or strange imaginary things seen by people as a result of heavy drinking or the use of narcotics. "No more drinks for me please, otherwise I'll be seeing pink elephants!" If you are in the pink of health, you are in excellent physical condition or extremely healthy. "Caroline looked in the pink of health after her holiday." To say that someone is tickled pink means that they are extremely amused or pleased. If a person is caught red-handed, they are caught while they are doing something wrong or illegal. "The boy was caught red-handed stealing chocolate in the supermarket." A red herring refers to a fact or argument introduced into a discussion

Green fingers

Green light

Green with envy

Grey area

Grey matter (US : gray) Grey existence

Pink elephants

In the pink of health Tickled pink

Red-handed

Red herring

Red light district

Red tape

Be in the red

Like a red flag to a bull

Paint the town red

Roll out the red carpet

See red

Silver lining

Silver spoon White Christmas White as a ghost/white as a sheet

which draws attention away from the main point. "Look, bureaucracy is a red herring. How to deal with the oil crisis is the important issue today." This term refers to an area of a town or city where there is a concentration of sex shops, prostitution, strip clubs, etc. "A photograph of the politician taken in a red-light district caused a scandal." The term red tape refers to official rules and bureaucratic paperwork that prevent things from being done quickly. "If there wasn't so much red tape, the company would be up and running already." If a person or organization is in the red, they owe money or have a negative account. "I'm afraid I can't lend you any money. I'm in the red myself." To say that a statement or action is like a red flag to a bull means that it is sure to make someone very angry or upset. "Don't mention Tom's promotion to Mike. It would be like a red flag to a bull!" If you paint the town red, you go out and enjoy a lively evening in bars, night-clubs, etc. "To celebrate the victory, the team's supporters painted the town red." To roll out the red carpet means to give special treatment to an important or honoured visitor. "The management is going to roll out the red carpet for the visit of the Nobel prize winner." If someone sees red, they suddenly become very angry or annoyed about something. "Discrimination of any kind makes me see red!" A silver lining refers to the good or pleasant side-effects of an unpleasant situation. Every cloud has a silver lining is a proverb which means that there is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation. To say that someone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth means that their family is very rich and privileged. A white Christmas is when it snows at Christmas and the ground is white. "We haven't had a white Christmas in twenty years."

Bad news People tend to circulate bad news (accidents, illness etc.) very quickly. travels fast. Beauty is only skin deep. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is the wisdom of women. Wisdom is the beauty of men. Be swift to hear, slow to speak. Better be alone than in bad company. Better be the head of a dog then the tail of a lion. Better flatter a fool than fight him. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know Better late than never. Better lose the saddle than the horse. Better safe than sorry Absence makes the When you are away from someone you love, you love them even more. heart grow fonder. Some unfortunate events must be accepted as inevitable. What a person actually does is more important Actions speak louder than words. that what they say they will do. Advice is cheap. It doesn't cost anything to offer advice. When a problem is serious, people often do not Advice is least heeded when most needed. follow the advice given. Advisers run no risks. It's easier to give advice than to act. People are undistinguished until they have made All cats are grey in the dark. a name. All good things come to those who wait. Patience brings rewards. All that glitters is not gold. Appearances can be deceptive. Charity begins at home. A person's first duty is to help and care for his own family. Children and fools tell the truth. A clean body is just as Cleanliness is next to godliness. important as a pure soul. Accidents will happen. A person's character is more important than their appearance. Different people have different tastes.

Listen carefully before speaking. Be careful in the choice of the people you associate with. It's better to be the leader of a small group than a subordinate in a bigger one. It's better to avoid disputes with stupid people. It's better to deal with somebody difficult but familiar, than change and risk dealing with somebody worse. It's better to do something, even if it's late, than not do it at all. It's better to stop and accept a small loss, rather than continue and risk losing everything. It's better to be too careful than to be careless and regret it later

Dead A dead person cannot cause difficulties by revealing something that it men tell would be no tales preferable to conceal. Diamond cuts diamond. Diligence is the mother of good fortune. Discretion is the better part of valour Diseases of the soul are more dangerous than those of the body. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Dogs of the same street bark alike. Don't bark if you can't bite. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork. Don't judge a book by its cover. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Easier said than done. Elbow grease is the best polish. Empty vessels make the most noise. Every ass likes to hear himself bray. Every cloud has a silver lining Every man for himself. Every man has his price. Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Every path has its puddle. Every rose has its thorn. Refers to two people equally matched in wit or cunning. Hard work brings rewards. It is useless to take unnecessary risks.

When you are separated from the person you love, your feelings are even stronger. People from the same background have the same behaviour. Don't complain if you can't enforce your point of view. You must not be too confident that something will be successful. Don't do something yourself which causes your own downfall. Don't judge by appearances.

What is suggested sounds easy but it is more difficult to actually do it. Hard work gives the best results. The least intelligent people are often the most talkative or noisy. People like to listen to themselves talking. There is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation. You must think of your own interests before the interests of others. Everyone's loyalty can be bought for a price. Life is what you make it. Progress is rarely without difficulty. Every good thing has an unpleasant side.