English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions 

COLOURS, page 3

Idioms relating to colours
from:  'pink elephants'   to:  'see red'

• pink elephants
  • The term 'pink elephants' 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!"
    
    
• in the pink of health
  • If you are in the pink of health, you are in excellent physical condition.
    "Caroline looks in the pink of health after her holiday."
    
    
• tickled pink
  • If you are tickled pink, you are very pleased about something.
    "My dad was tickled pink when he was asked to announce the winner."
    
    
• red carpet
  • To roll out the red carpet, or give someone the red-carpet treatment, means to give special treatment to a visitor of importance.
    "The management is going to roll out the red carpet for the visit of the Nobel prize winner."
    
    
• red flag to a bull
  • 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!"
    
    
• (caught) red-handed
  • 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."
    
    
• red herring
  • A red herring is a fact or argument introduced into a discussion which draws attention away from the main point.
    "Look, bureaucracy is a red herring. How to deal with the crisis is the important issue today."
    
    
• red light district
  • An area of a town or city where there is a concentration of sex shops, prostitution, strip clubs, etc. is known as the red light district.
    "A photograph of the politician taken in a red-light district caused a scandal."
    
    
• red tape
  • 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."
    
    
• in the red
  • If a person or organisation 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."
    
    
• paint the town red
  • 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."
    
    
• see red
  • If someone sees red, they suddenly become very angry or annoyed.
    "Discrimination of any kind makes me see red."