Black Idioms

1. as black as a skillet - very black

skillet [skil-it] = tigaie,cratita
My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.
2. as black as a stack of black cats - very black
stack of = o gramada de, teanc, stiva
The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.
3. as black as a sweep - very dirty /black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very
black)
My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.
4. as black as coal - very black ( negru ca taciunele)
My friend's cat is as black as coal.
5. as black as night/as black as midnight - very dark and black ( negru ca noaptea/foarte
intunecat)
The old house was as black as night when we entered it
6. as black as pitch/as blacks as ink - very black ( negru ca smoala )
My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.
7. as black as the ace of spades - very black ( foarte negru/foarte murdar)
aces of spades ! asul de pica
The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.
8. as black as m hat ! negru ca fundul ceaunului/ca pana corbului
". as black as soot ! negru cum e funinginea
1#. black and bl$e ! bruised
My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
11. in black and white - either good or bad, either one way or the other way, oversimplified
Our boss sees everything in black and white.
12. black bo% - an electronic device such as a flight recorder from an aircraft
The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the airplane.
13. black ee - a bruise near one"s eye which makes it appear black ( ochi invinetit)
The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.
14. black ma&ket - the place where goods or money are illegally bought and sold ( bursa neagra)
We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.
15. black o$t - to darken a room or building by turning off the lights
uring the war! people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody could see
them.
16. black o$t - to lose consciousness
The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.
17. blacko$t - a temporary situation where you do not release some information
The government decided to have a blackout regarding the political prisoner.
black"out #mil. alarma aeriana! camufla$%teat. stingerea luminilor% el. intreruperea curentului%
foto. negru% fig. amne&ie
to black out # a camufla' ferestrele(% a cen&ura! a taia% el. a intrerupe! a scoate din circuit% a"si
pierde cunostinta
18. black sheep 'of a famil( - a person who is a disgrace to a family or group
The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.
1". blackball 'someone( - to e#clude or ostraci$e someone socially, to re%ect someone
The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business practices
2#. blacklist 'someone( - to e#clude someone, to write someone"s name on a list if they break
some rules
The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.
21. blackmail 'someone( - to e#tort / take money from someone by threatening him/her
The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he had
taken.
22. black-tie e)ent/affai& - a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men
wearing black bow ties with tu#edos or dinner %ackets
The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black"tie affair.
23. in black and white - in writing, officially ( in forma scrisa)
& put down my complaint in black and white.
24. in 'someone*s( black books - to be in disgrace or in disfavor with someone
The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.
black book # registru de amen&i% carte de magie% fig. lista neagra
25. to be in the black - to be successful or profitable( a avea bani in banca' a avea sold creditor )
Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.
26. pitch-black - very black, as black as pitch
The road was pitch"black and we could not see anything.
27. pot calling the kettle black - the person who critici$es or accuses someone else is as guilty
as the person he or she critici$es or accuses
My friend critici&ed me for not changing $obs but that is like the pot calling the kettle black. )he
will not change $obs either.
28. p$t 'something( down in black and white - to write the details of a contract or something
on paper
I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.
Blue Idioms
1. black and bl$e - bruised
My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
2. bl$e blood - the blood of a noble or wealthy or aristocratic family ( sange albastru/nobil)
Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.
3. bl$e in the face - to be very angry or upset ( negru de suparare)
I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face
4. bl$e-&ibbon - of superior (uality or distinction, the best of a group ( locul/premiul &)
* blue"ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.
5. get/ha)e the bl$es - to become/be sad or depressed ( a fi cuprins de melancolie)
The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.
The man next door seems to have the blues.
6. o$t of the bl$e - without any warning, by surprise (like something that comes out of a blue
sky) = neasteptat'din senin
My friend decided out of the blue to +uit his $ob and go to ,urope.
7. talk a bl$e st&eak - to talk very much and very rapidly
The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the $ourney.
8. talk $ntil one is bl$e in the face - to talk until one is e#hausted
I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's opinion about my essay.
". once in a bl$e moon ! o data la o mie de ani
Once in a blue moon I have a little wine with dinner.
Gray Idioms
1. get g&a hai& - to have one"s hair turn gray from stress
)ur teacher is getting gray hair from stress
2. a g&a a&ea - something that is not clearly defined and does not conform to an e#isting set of
rules, neither black or white, neither one way or another way
*he issue of the ta# on children"s toys is a gray area for the accountant
3. g&a matte& - brains, intelligence
& wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making his cra$y
plans
Green Idioms
1. get the g&een light - to receive a signal to start or continue something
+e got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school
2. gi)e 'someone( the g&een light - to give someone permission to proceed with a pro%ect
*he city gave us the green light to begin the new pro%ect
3. g&ass is alwas g&eene& on the othe& side 'of the fence( - a place or situation that is far away
or different seems better than one"s present situation
*he man believes that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and he always
wants to change %obs
4. g&een - to be ine#perienced or immature
*he young man is rather green and does not have enough e#perience to drive the large
machinery
5. g&een a&o$nd the gills - looking sick
,y friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride
6. g&een belt - an area of fields and trees around a town
)ur city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city
7. g&een-eed monste& - %ealousy
*he woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life
8. g&een th$mb - a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
,y neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our
neighborhood
". g&een with en) - to be very %ealous, to be full of envy
& was green with envy when & heard that my cousin would be going to -ondon for a week
1#. g&eenho&n - an untrained or ine#perienced or naive person
*he young man is a greenhorn and he has much to learn about his new %ob
11. ha)e the g&een light - to have a signal to start or continue something
*he company finally has the green light to start the pro%ect
Pink Idioms
1. in the pink 'of condition( - in very good health
,y grandmother was in the pink of condition when & saw her
2. look at the wo&ld th&o$gh &ose-colo&ed glasses - to see only the good things about
something, to be too optimistic
,y friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not believe that
some people are dishonest
3. pink slip - a termination notice from a %ob
& received my pink slip last week and & am now looking for a new %ob
4. see pink elephants - to see things which are not really there because they are only in your
imagination
*he man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story
5. see the wo&ld th&o$gh &ose-colo&ed glasses - to see only the good things about something, to
be too optimistic
*he man sees the world through rose-colored glasses and thinks that everything is wonderful
6. tickled pink - to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something
.,y mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town.
Red Idioms
1. as &ed as a che&& - bright red
*he car was as red as a cherry after its new paint %ob
2. as &ed as a popp - bright red
*he mark on my arm was as red as a poppy
3. as &ed as a &ose - intensely red
*he morning sunrise was as red as a rose
4. as &ed as a &$b - deep red
*he office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby
5. as &ed as blood - deep red
*he stain on the carpet was as red as blood
6. catch 'someone( &ed-handed - to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong
*he woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics
7. ea&s a&e &ed - one"s ears are red from embarrassment
,y ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me
8. in the &ed - to be in debt, to be unprofitable
*he company has been in the red for three years now
". like wa)ing a &ed flag in f&ont of a b$ll - what you are doing will definitely make someone
angry or upset
*alking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a bull /e hates
the city mayor
1#. o$t of the &ed - out of debt
)ur company is finally out of the red and we are now making money
11. paint the town &ed - to go out and party and have a good time
+hen my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red
12. &ed-ca&pet t&eatment - to receive special or royal treatment
& always receive the red-carpet treatment when & go and visit my aunt
13. &ed-ee - an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
+e caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today
14. a &ed flag - a signal that something is not working properly or correctly
*he fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors
15. &ed he&&ing - an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main sub%ect
*alking about the other issue was a red herring that did not do anything to deal with today"s
problem
16. &ed-hot - very hot, creating much e#citement or demand
*he new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one
17. &ed in the face - embarrassed
& became red in the face when the teacher asked me a (uestion
18. &ed-lette& da - a day that is memorable because of some important event
&t was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma
1". &ed tape - e#cessive formalities in official business
,any businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get anything
done with the government
2#. &oll o$t the &ed ca&pet- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to
someone
*he government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit
21. see &ed - to become very angry
,y boss saw red when & told him that & would not be coming to work today
White Idioms
1. as white as a ghost - very pale because of fear or shock or illness
,y sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window
2. as white as a sheet - very pale
& felt terrible this morning and in the mirror & looked as white as a sheet
3. as white as the d&i)en snow - very white
*he fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow
4. black and white - either good or bad, either one way or the other way, oversimplified
)ur boss sees everything in black and white
5. ca&te blanche - the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche means white in
0rench)
*he new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department
6. in black and white - in writing, officially
& put down my complaint in black and white
7. p$t 'something( down in black and white - to write the details of a contract or something on
paper
& asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white
8. &aise a white flag - to indicate that you have been defeated and that you want to give up
*he soldiers raised a white flag and surrendered to the enemy
". wa)e a white flag - to indicate that you have been defeated and that you want to give up
*he soldiers were waving a white flag when they surrendered to the enemy
1#. white elephant - a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)
*he new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it
11. white lie - a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone"s feelings
& told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that & was sick when actually & was not
12. white sale - the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price
+e went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets
13. white-tie e)ent/affai& - an event that re(uires guests to wear formal dress such as men
wearing white bow ties with formal evening dress
& attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university
14. whitewash 'something( - to cover up or gloss over faults or errors or wrongdoing
*he government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal money
Yellow Idioms
1. ha)e a ellow st&eak - to be cowardly
*he man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem
2. ellow-bellied - e#tremely timid, cowardly
*he man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right
Idiom +$i,,es - -olo&s
1hoose an idiom to replace the e#pression in the brackets2
3 *he girl was (very pleased) that she was chosen to represent her class at the competition
(a) blacked out (b) tickled pink
(c) green with envy (d) out of the blue
4 ,y boss is not very fle#ible and he always sees things (as either good or bad)
(a) in the red (b) off-color
(c) with flying colors (d) in black and white
5 *he government finally gave the city (permission) to build the new airport
(a) the green light (b) a horse of a different color
(c) once in a blue moon (d) red tape
6 )ur company has been (losing money) for three years now
(a) rolling out the red carpet (b) yellow-bellied
(c) in the red (d) green
7 &t was a (memorable) day when the first person walked on the moon
(a) yellow-streak (b) white-elephant
(c) red-herring (d) red-letter
8 ,y brother passed the test to become a police officer (easily and with great success)
(a) green (b) with flying colors
(c) out of the blue (d) tickled pink
9 )ur company told us (suddenly and without any warning) that our factory would close
ne#t month
(a) out of the blue (b) once in a blue moon
(c) with flying colors (d) pitch-black
: *he mother (was very angry) when her daughter came home at three o;clock in the
morning
(a) rolled out the red carpet (b) saw red
(c) showed her true colors (d) looked at the world through rose-colored glasses
< *he man argued with his wife until he was (very angry) but still she would not agree with
him
(a) brown bagging it (b) in the black
(c) blue in the face (d) a pot calling the kettle black
3= & go to the swimming pool only (rarely) although & love to swim
(a) green around the gills (b) with flying colors
(c) in the red (d) once in a blue moon
3 b
4 d
5 a
6 c
7 d
8 b
9 a
: b
< c
3= d