Idiomaticenglish(5):colouridioms

Wehavenumerous"colour"idiomsinthelanguage.Herearesomegroupedunderthevariouscolours:

red

WhenIhearofcrueltytoanimalsitmakesmeseered

(=becomeviolentlyangry).

Icaughtthethiefred-handed(=intheveryact).

Youare notansweringmyquestion. Youaretryingtodrawaredherringacrossthetrack(=leadtheattentionawayfromtherealpoint).

Assoonasheledtheconversationroundtoborrowingmoney

Isawtheredlight(=wasawareofapproachingdanger).

Onboat-racenighttheCollegestudentspaintthetownred

(=haveagay,high-spirited,noisytime).

Thementionofthatman'snametohimislikearedragtoabull(=somethingthatcausesviolentanger).

pink

Hisbehaviourwasthepinkofpeifection(=perfect).

"Howare you?"Oh,I'minthepink"(=verywell).(slang)Helooksatlifethroughrose-colouredspectacles(=opti-

mistically,seeingeverythinginapleasantlight).

blue

Hewasblueinthefacewithcold.

I'mfeelingratherblue(intheblues)today(=rather mise­rable,"down inthemouth").

Hegothisblueforfootball.(AtOxfordorCambridgeamanwhohasbeenchosentorepresenthisUniversityatfootball,rowing,cricket,etc.,isgivenhis"colours",lightblueforCam­bridge,dark blueforOxford).

Hespendsallhistimereadingbluebooks(=Governmentpublications).

Athinglikethatonlyhappensonceinabluemoon(=veryrarely).Youcantalktillallis blue(=aslongasyoulike)butIshan'tbelieveyou.

Thenewswasagreatshocktome:it cameabsolutelyoutoftheblue(=wasquiteunexpected).

green

Ihopeyoulivetoagreenoldage(=agefullofyouthfulstrength).

He'sverygreen(=easilydeceived).(slang)Shewasgreenwithjealousy(= veryjealous).

white

Jan'sfactory^1isanabsolutewhiteelephant(=somethingvaluablebutuseless,ofwhichtheownerwouldbegladtobefree²).

ThoughIbelieveintellingthetruthIthinkawhitelie

(=alietoldforagoodpurpose)issometimesjustified.

Heboastedalotabouthiscouragebutwhendangercameheshowedthewhitefeather(=wasacoward).

Manyattemptshavebeenmadetowhitewashtheman'sreputation(=tomakeitappeargoodandhonourable)butthefactremainsthatheisarogue.

black

Iwon'tbelieveitunlessIseeitinblackandwhite(=inwriting).

Afterthefightoneoftheboxershadablackeye.

Youcanneverbelievewhathesays;hewillswearblackiswhiteifitsuits hispurpose.

^1ForJan'sfactorysee EssentialEnglish,BookIII,Lesson37.

^2ItissaidthattheKingofSiamusedtogiveawhiteelephanttocourtiersthatthewantedtoruin.

IfHobdoesn'tworkharderhewillgetinMr.Priestley's

blackbooks(=outoffavour).

England'swealthwasbuiltupondiamonds-blackdia­monds(=coal).

Hegotmanyblacklooks(=looksofdispleasure)forhisspeechcriticisingtheGovernment.

Thementriedtopersuadetheblacklegsnottoworkwhiletheywereonstrike(=menwhoarenotinatradeunionandwhoworkwhiletheirfellow workersareonstrike).

TheyareratherashamedofGeorge;heistheblacksheepofthefamily(=personwithabadcharacter).

YnPA>KHEHHSI

1. 06'M1cnuTeCJ1e)Q'I0111neBbipIDKenIDI:

   1. togotothedogs.2.theblacksheepofthefamily.3.toputthecartbeforethehorse.4.to lockthestabledoorafterthehorseisstolen.6.totakethebullbythehorns6.toletthecatoutthebag.7.todieinharness.8.hisbarkisworsethanhisbite.9.toridethehighhorse.10.acatanddoglife.11.acatonhotbricks.12.abullinachinashop.13.tosmellarat.

14.afishoutofwater.15.an"alsoran".16.straightfromthehorse'smouth.17.rainingcatsanddogs.18.aredherring.

19.misfortunedoggedhis footsteps.20.acock-and-bullstory.

2. Ilo'leMYueCJie,!1,yeT:

   1. Countyour chickensbeforetheyarehatched.2.Killthegoosethatlaysthegoldeneggs.3.Buyapiginapoke.4.Castpearlsbeforeswines.5.Changehorsesinmidstream. 6.Lookagifthorseinthemouth?

3. IloqeMY,no-BameMy,cJie,!l,yeT:

   1. Letsleepingdogslie.

   2. Putyourshouldertothewheel?

4. 3aKOH'IHTeBhCKa3b1Baum1u06M1cnuTeux3Ha'leHnB:

   1. "Youcanlead(take)ahorsetothewater..."

   2. "Helpalamedog..."

   3. "Birdsofafeather..."

5. IlpH,!1,yMaiITemecThnpe,!l,JIO}Keuuii,ucnoJib3YBcl>pa3eoJiomqecKHeo6opOTblcfJiafOJIOMpull.

VI.IlpH,!1,yMaiiTenpe,!l,Jlo}KeHIDIuOO'hHCHHTeuxCMhCJI:

toseered;red-handed; aredherring;aredragtoabull;rose-colouredspectacles;intheblues;onceinabluemoon;outoftheblue;agreenoldage;awhiteelephant;awhitelie;

toshowthewhitefeather;towhitewash;tobeinsomeone'sblackbooks;togiveblacklooks;ablack-leg;to blackmail.