English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions 

COLOURS, page 2

Idioms relating to colours
from:  'brown as a berry'   to:  'grey matter'

• brown as a berry
  • To say that someone is as brown as a berry means that they are very tanned.
    "Judy came back from her holiday as brown as a berry."
    
    
• browned off
  • If you are browned off, you are bored, fed up or disheartened.
    "Tom is browned off with his job."
    
    
• off colour
  • If you are off colour, you look or feel ill.
    "What's the matter with Matt? He looks a bit off colour today."
    
    
• see the colour of someone's money
  • If you want to see the colour of somebody's money, you want to be sure that the person in question has enough money to pay you before you accept to do something.
    "We want to see the colour of his money before shipping the goods."
    
    
• show one's true colours
  • When a person shows their true colours, their behaviour reveals their real nature, with their qualities and/or weaknesses.
    "In times of crisis people show their true colours."
    
    
• golden handcuffs
  • 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.
    
    
• golden handshake
  • 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).
    
    
• golden opportunity
  • A golden opportunity is a favourable time or an excellent occasion which should not be missed.
    "An internship in that company would be a golden opportunity for you - it might lead to a permanent job later."
    
    
• golden parachute
  • 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.
    
    
• golden rule
  • 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"
    
    
• green fingers
  • To have green fingers means to be good at gardening.
    "My dad was born with green fingers. He's great with plants."
    
    
• get or give the green light
  • If you give or get the green light, you give or get a signal or authorization to do something.
    "We're ready to launch the campaign as soon as we get the green light."
    
    
• green with envy
  • Someone who is green with envy is a person who is very envious.
    "Dave will be green with envy when he sees Simon's new sports car!"
    
    
• grey area (US: gray)
  • 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 existance
  • To have a grey existence means to lead a dull, monotonous life.
    "I feel sad for the old lady. She seems to have such a grey existence."
    
    
• grey matter
  • Grey matter refers to the brain, or the grey colour of brain tissue.
    "Try using your grey matter and you might find the answer." said the teacher."