Do you need something colourful to brighten up a story that you're working on? A good idiom could be just what your writing needs.
Red herring
Meaning: a clue or piece of information that fools you or sends you the wrong way
Example: In mystery books, the first villain we read about is often a red herring, meant to lead us to the wrong conclusion. This makes the last chapter even more exciting!
Out of the blue
Meaning: without warning, or unexpected
Example: I haven't spoken to Sarah in such a long time, but yesterday, she sent me a message out of the blue!
Green with envy
Meaning: to be very jealous Example: Paul's friends were green with envy after he won tickets for the year's biggest concert.
Blue-collar
Meaning: to do with manual work or workers, for instance in a factory
Example: Billy treats everyone with the same respect, from blue-collar workers to kings and queens.
All that glitters is not gold
Meaning: the beautiful appearance of something is not a sign of its true nature
Example: My grandmother warned me: all that glitters is not gold. Just because someone is well-dressed, that doesn't mean they will be a good friend.
Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: difficult or sad situations can still have a hopeful side, even if you can't always see it
Example: Even though William lost the match, every cloud has a silver lining: he has gained experience that will prepare him for the next competition.
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg
Meaning: to foolishly destroy something that was reliable and valuable
Example: By firing her best workers, Maggie has killed the goose that lays the golden egg.
Black books
Meaning: a book containing the names of people to be punished
Example: Robert has been in Annie's black books ever since he wrongly said that she cheated on an exam.
White elephant
Meaning: a possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to keep
Example: The new shopping mall is a white elephant because it cost a lot to build, but nobody wants to go shopping there.
Fun facts
When something has no colour, we say it is "transparent". For example, air is transparent, and so are glass and water.
Quick questions
- How many colours are mentioned in the story?
- How many other colours can you name?
- There are lots more idioms that use colours. Can you think of any?
