Hello everybody in this colourful day !
Today's entry is about colours and colour idioms ! As you know have different symbols and today I am here to check if the symbol of the different colours reflect on some English. idioms and similes. Let's get this started :
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| From : http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/blue-color-clipart |
Blue is often linked to serenity and calm, as well as cold and, extensively, lack of emotions and empathy. Let's analyze if blue idioms correspond with their symbol :
1. As blue as the sky : A simile somehow associated to serenity and calm.
2. To feel blue : To feel sad or depressed. This idiom somehow contradicts blue symbolism.
3. Blue Monday : The most depressing day of the year.
4. Once in a blue moon : Rarely, when pigs fly.
5. Out of the blue : Unexpectedly, without warning or preparation.
6. A bolt from the blue : Something very surprising, for example, having a president in Spain right now would certainly be a bolt from the blue.
7. A blue-eyed boy : Someone who is prized and favoured over others, as in "my boss only favours all his blue-eyed boys. If you are not one of them, you are done."
8. A blue joke / a blue story : A dirty joke, a joke involving sexual anecdotes or somehow inappropriate events to cause laughter. Do you see the differences with Spanish ? In Spanish that would be a green joke.
9. To have blue blood : To have royal or aristocracy backgrounds.
10. Blue-collars / blue-collar workers : Workers who ply their jobs doing manual labour, e.g. miners or firefighters.
As you can see, blue in English is far away from the concept of serenity. In fact, it is often associated to a negative meaning : depression (as in idioms 2 and 3); surprise (as in idioms 4, 5 and 6).
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| From : http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/green-clipart |
Green is a colour closely associated with fertility, the creation of life (flora, vegetation...) and the environment. This is why it represents hope, health and freshness and it is often linked to spring. However, it has some negative connotations, one of which is immaturity and youth. Green is associated with things that have yet to flourish and thrive (also in a metaphorical sense). Another negative connotation of green is poison. Indeed, being the colour of some snakes, reptiles and some dragons. Let's see if this matches with some idioms :
1. To be as green as grass : Something very green, like peas. A good simile connecting green with the environment.
2. Green shots : Prosperity, growth and thriving, signs of recovery and hope. 'We are in a deep economic crisis, but there are green shots.'
3. Go green : Become environmentally friendly by recycling, saving energy,... Thanks to this expression, we have green energies, green initiatives...
4. Give someone the green light / To get or receive the green light: To give or receive permission to do something as in 'the police constable gave green light to arrest the suspect.'
5. Grass is always greener on the other side : This idiom refers to the fact that people always think best of other circumstances and this is not always right. 'My mum always says that the neighbours seem happier than us. You know, grass is always greener on the other side.'
6. To be green / to be green as a gooseberry : To be immature or inexperienced. 'He is the new teacher but he is unable to control the class. He can be a little green on some occasions.'
7. To be green with envy : To covet or envy someone, to desire someone's possessions.
8. To go green on someone : To get angry or violent at someone.
Green idioms perfectly match green symbolism. Idioms 1-4 are linked to a positive meaning of prosperity and hope, whereas idioms 5-8 are somehow connected to a negative connotation of envy or lack of experience.
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| From : http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/red-clip-art-c |
When we think of red, we think of passion, love, revolution, vitality, energy and strength. This is why red is the colour of fire, blood and heat. However, it has negative connotations such as danger, impulse and rage. Let's analyze the different English idioms with this colour:
1. To be as red as a cherry / as red as poppy / as red as a rose / as red as a ruby / as red as a lobster / as red as blood / as red as a beet / as red as a beetroot : Bright red (in Spanish : red as a tomato)
2. To go as red as a lobster / to go as red as a beet / go beet red / to go red in the face : Become embarrassed by an embarrassing situation (when you fancy someone for example, or when you've done something wrong in front of a lot of people).
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| From : http://it-rings-a-bell.blogspot.com.es/2011_11_01_archive.html |
3. To be caught red-handed : To catch a person doing something wrong or illegal. 'The police frequently catch criminals red-handed.'
4. Code red / red flag: An emergency situation or a serious threat.
5. To see red : To become really angry.
6. Red tape : It refers to paperwork and regulations that make things progress really slowly. 'The red tape does not let me get my certificate right now. I have to wait for a month.'
7. To be in the red : To have debts or owe money to different people. The opposite is to be in the black / to be out of the red.
8. Red-hot : Someone really successful
9. To paint the town red : To go partying, to celebrate and get drunk.
10. Roll out the red carpet : To give someone an honorary treatment as often done with celebs in Hollywood.
As checked, red idioms in English are often associated with their negative meanings. The only exceptions are idioms 8, 9 and 10.
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| From : http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/black-clip-art-free |
Black cannot be separated from its negative connotations, namely, death, violence, darkness, the rotten and wickedness. However, it is also associated to mystery and elegance. Does this correspond with the idioms ? Let's delve into this :
1. To be as black as night / black as a skillet / black as a stack of black cats / black as a sweep / black as coal / black as the ace of spades / as black as the devil / as black as a raven / as black as ink / to be pitch black / to be ivory black / to be jet-black : When something is really black, for example, ravens.
2. To have a black heart to be a black-hearted man or woman: To be evil and cruel.
3. To be the black sheep of the family / a black sheep stands out of the flock : To be the worst member of the family, the member who is always in trouble.
4. A black day : A day featured by a horrid or unfortunate event.
5. The black market : A hidden network where illegal things (e.g. weapons, drugs,...) are sold off the books.
6. Code black : An emergency related to terrorist attack or a natural disaster.
7. To look black : To have unfavourable prospects. A tumour can look black, for instance.
8. To be as black as thunder : To be really angry and upset.
9. To paint someone black : To consider someone as evil, disreputable or questionable.
10. To be in the black : When your bank account is in the blank, it means you don't have any debts.
11. Not be as black as you are / as black as it is painted : When things or people are better than you expected / than it is said. It does not rain as often in Dublin as you may think. It is not as black as it is painted.
12. Black Friday : It's the day following Thanksgiving when shops start the Christmas season and sell lots of products at incredibly cheap prices.
It is quite obvious that black idioms represent negative feelings. However, have a look at idioms 10-12. Amazingly, they represent something good !
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