the free dictionary
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
This Web is very nice to learn English.
You can look up special words in it.
Today the topic of the course is Color of Idioms.
So teacher introduce the Web let us to look up Idioms
20080519 Eva
be in a (blue) funk
to be very worried or unhappy about something. He's been in a real funk since she left him.
between the devil and the deep blue sea
if you are between the devil and the deep blue sea, you must choose between two equally unpleasant situations. For most people a visit to the dentist is the result of a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea - if you go you suffer, and if you don't go you suffer.
black and blue
if a person or part of their body is black and blue, their skin is covered with bruises (= black marks caused by being hit). He was beaten black and blue at boarding school.
blue blood
someone who has blue blood is from a family of the highest social class. He has a fair bit of blue blood coursing through his veins.
blue-blooded
blue blood - someone who has blue blood is from a family of the highest social class. He comes from the blue-blooded section of the ruling classes.
blue-collar
a blue-collar worker is someone who does physical work, often in a factory. Blue collar workers in the factories and shipyards were demanding wage increases. (always before noun) They are hoping the new factory will create many more blue collar jobs. (= jobs for blue collar workers)
a blue-eyed boy (British & Australian, American & Australian)
a man who is liked and admired by someone in authority. He was very much the blue-eyed boy in the office.
a bolt from the blue
something that you do not expect to happen and that surprises you very much. The news that they had got married was a bolt from the blue. He seemed to be very happy in his job, so his resignation came as a bolt out of the blue.
the boys in blue (British & Australian)
the police. The boys in blue were round again last night, asking questions.
into the wide/wild blue yonder (literary)
if you go into the wide blue yonder, you go somewhere far away that seems exciting because it is not known. I have a sudden desire to escape, to head off into the wide blue yonder and never return.
like blue blazes (American & Australian, old-fashioned)
if someone or something does something like blue blazes, they do it a lot. This sweater itches like blue blazes.
once in a blue moon
very rarely. My sister lives in Alaska, so I only get to see her once in a blue moon. I don't know why I bought that CD-ROM for my computer - I only ever use it once in a blue moon.
out of the blue (British, American & Australian, American & Australian)
if something happens out of the blue, it happens suddenly and you are not expecting it. Then one day, completely out of the blue, I had a letter from her. The invasion came out of a clear blue sky and caught everyone off guard.
[run around/rush around etc.] like a blue-arsed fly (British & Australian, informal)
to move around quickly trying to finish your work when you are very busy. I've been running around like a blue-arsed fly trying to get everything organized before I go on holiday.
scream blue murder (British, American & Australian, informal, American & Australian, informal)
to shout or to complain very loudly. Readers screamed blue murder when the price of their daily paper went up. Someone took the child's ice cream away and he started screaming bloody murder.
swear up and down (American & Australian, British & Australian, Australian)
to say that something is completely true, especially when someone does not believe you. He swore up and down that he'd never seen the letter. If I ask her, I know she'll swear blind she locked the door. He swore black and blue he had nothing to do with the missing money.
talk a blue streak (American)
to say a lot very fast. She talked a blue streak and we just had to listen.
true-blue (American & Australian)
if someone is true-blue, they support something or someone completely. Tom's true-blue - he won't let us down. They want control of the company to remain in true-blue American hands.
until you are blue in the face
if you say something until you are blue in the face, you keep saying the same thing again and again but no one listens to you. I can tell him to tidy his room until I'm blue in the face, but it's always a mess.
[What/Why/Who etc.] the blue blazes (old-fashioned, informal)
if you start a question with what/who/why etc. the blazes, you show that you are very surprised or angry about the thing you are asking about. What the blazes are they doing up on the roof?
Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms © Cambridge University Press 1998
between the devil and the deep blue sea
having only two very unpleasant choices. Our country is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea — our leaders cause great suffering, but an invasion aimed at overthrowing them would bring many other problems.
Etymology: based on the idea of being trapped between a ship's devil (= a piece of wood or a joint on a wooden ship that is difficult to reach) and the water
(until you are) blue in the face
for a long time.
The attorneys can talk until they're blue in the face, but I don't think they'll convince the jury that this guy is innocent. You can argue yourself blue in the face but it isn't going to change my opinion.
Usage notes: used to suggest that someone will not listen to what is being said
like a bolt from the blue
suddenly and unexpectedly. Quinn's announcement that he is quitting came like a bolt from the blue.
Etymology: based on the idea of a bolt (= flash) of lightning that comes suddenly from the sky
once in a blue moon
almost never. Once in a blue moon I'll have a beer with friends, but it's not my regular drink.
Etymology: based on the informal phrase blue moon (= the second time in one month that you can see the full disk of the moon )
out of a clear blue sky
See: out of the blue
out of the blue
happening suddenly and unexpectedly. Then one day, completely out of the blue, I had a letter from her. The attack came out of a clear blue sky.
Related vocabulary: out of thin air
be in the red
to owe money to a bank. Many of the students were in the red at the end of their first year.
be like a red rag to a bull
if a statement or an action is like a red rag to a bull, it makes someone very angry. For Claire, the suggestion of a women-only committee was like a red rag to a bull.
be on full/red alert
if soldiers are on full alert, they know that a situation is dangerous and are prepared to act immediately if necessary. The British flagship in the area went to battle stations and remained on full alert for twenty minutes.
be put on full/red alert
be on full/red alert - if soldiers are on full alert, they know that a situation is dangerous and are prepared to act immediately if necessary. The army was put on red alert as the peace talks began to break down.
catch someone red-handed
to discover someone doing something illegal or wrong. I caught him red-handed trying to break into my car. (often + doing something)
go beet red (American, American)
to become very red in the face, usually because you are embarrassed. I only had to smile at him and he went beet red.
go beetroot (red) (British & Australian, British & Australian)
to become very red in the face, usually because you are embarrassed. Whenever the kids asked him about his girlfriend he'd go beetroot.
paint the town red (informal)
to go out and enjoy yourself in the evening, often drinking a lot of alcohol and dancing. Jack finished his exams today so he's gone out to paint the town red.
not a red cent (American, informal)
no money at all. I did all that work for them and they didn't pay me a red cent! It turns out his paintings aren't worth a red cent.
a red eye (American, informal)
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early the next mornin
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