Blue
- Out of the blue: unexpected
- True blue: to be loyal or faithful
- Once in a blue moon: an event that occurs infrequently [see article: "Once in a Blue Moon"]
- Blue ribbon: first place; to describe something as being of the highest quality
- Blue blood: an aristocrat [see article: "Blue Blood for Silver Spoons"]
- Blue law: laws about morality issues
- Blue comedy: jokes about socially taboo subjects
- Blueprint: a detailed design of an object or idea
- Blue plate special: a special priced meal at a restaurant
- Bluestocking: a woman with strong scholarly interests
- Feeling blue: to feel sad or unhappy
Green
- Get the green light: get approval to move ahead or proceed with a project or task
- Green corn: the young, tender ears of Indian corn
- Green thumb (US) or Green fingers (UK): an unusual ability to make plants grow
- Green room: a room (in a theater or studio) where performers can relax before or after appearances
- Greenback: a legal-tender note issued by the United States government
- Greener pastures: something newer or better (or perceived to be better), such as a new job
- Green with envy: jealous or envious [see article: "Green With Envy"]
- Greenhorn: novice, trainee, beginner [see article: "He Wasn't All Greenhorn"]
- Green around the gills: marked by a pale, sickly, or nauseated appearance
- Turn green: to look pale and ill as if you are going to vomit
- Going green: when someone or something makes changes to help protect the environment, or reduces waste or pollution
Yellow
- Yellowbellied: a cowardly manner
- Yellow fever: a disease involving high fever and jaundice that is common in the tropics
- Yellow jack: a flag flown on a vessel to show that it is under quarantine
- Yellowdog contract: a contract which denies a person the right to join a worker’s union
- Yellow journalism: newspaper articles thought to be sensationalized in order to sell more papers [see article: "The Yellow Journalism Wars"]
Brown
- Brown sugar: partially refined sugar
- Brown bagging: to bring a homemade packed lunch to work
- Brown out: a partial loss of electrical power [see article: Three Types of Brownout]
- Brownstone: a building made out of dark colored sandstone
- In a brown study: describing someone as being in deep thought
Gray
- Gray market: the business of buying or selling items that are priced below what has been regulated
- Gray mood: an unhappy mood
- Gray area: caught between two differing views
Red
- Red carpet treatment: giving privileged treatment to an important person
- Caught red-handed: clearly guilty
- Red in the face: to become embarrassed
- Seeing red: to be angered
- Red flag: a warning of danger
- Not worth a red cent: having no value
- Red letter day: a memorable, joyful day [see article: "It's a Red Letter Day"]
- Red tape: excessive formalities in governmental process [see article: "Cutting Through Red Tape"]
- In the red: a term to describe an economic loss
- Scarlet letter: a punitive mark of adultery that originated with the novel (1850) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Pink
- Tickled pink: to be happy
- In the pink: in good health — this phrase hasn’t always had this meaning.[see article: "Being in the Pink"]
- Pinking shears: scissors with serrated blades
- A pink elephant: term to describe hallucinations during intoxication
- Pinkie finger: the smallest finger on the human hand
- Pink slip: notice that employment is ending
- Pink collar: refers to a particular class of jobs once only filled by women
Purple
- Purple prose: an elaborately written poem or paragraph in literature
- Purple heart: a medal awarded to a US soldier wounded in battle
- Born to the purple: a person who is born into a noble or royal family
- Lay it out in lavender: very cool, relaxed, and in control
White
- White Christmas: the appearance of snow on Christmas day
- White elephant: a possession that no longer holds value for its owner [see article: White Elephant: Revered or Revenge]
- White flag: the signal of a peaceful surrender
- White goods: a description of household items, such as linens, towels, and appliances
- White hot: extreme manner of intensity
- White lie: a harmless untruth usually told out of politeness [see article: The Short, Sweet Truth About White Lies]
- White sauce: a sauce made from stock, butter, flour and seasonings
- White feather: a symbol of cowardliness
Black*
- Black comedy: creating comedy out of a tragic event or situation
- Black coffee: coffee without milk
- Black belt: the highest awarded belt in the martial arts
- Blackball: voting against someone in a secret manner to prevent them from becoming a member of a club
- Blackmail: to demand payment or action by means of a threat
- Black sheep: a bad character in an otherwise respectable group
- Black day: a bad day; often used before the name of a particular day to symbolize a tragic event, such as black Tuesday or black Friday.
* Please note that while the terms above illustrate how black has historically been used in language, equating black to negativity is outmoded and using these terms could be hurtful. Like color, language is a powerful tool, so please always choose your colors and words wisely.
