blue Idiom
air was blue
(See the air was blue)
baby blues
feeling sad when you are pregnant After seven months, Karly had the baby blues. She was feeling sad.
between the devil and the deep blue sea
in a difficult position, no place to go, between a rock..., Sophie's choice "If he ran, they would shoot him; if he stayed in the shop, the gas would kill him. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea."
blue
sad, depressed, down, low """Are you blue, Dear?"" ""Yes. Jack left me."""
blue-collar worker
someone who works at a trade, e.g., a plumber The blue-collar workers will vote for Ed. He's a tradesman.
blue in the face
weakened, tired after trying many times I called that dog until I'm blue in the face. He won't come in.
blue sky
great opportunity, easy life, smooth sailing We made T-shirts, and people loved them - it was blue sky!
bolt from the blue
(See like a bolt from the blue)
cry the blues
complain because your friend or lover has gone Lan is crying the blues because Bing left her for another woman.
feel blue
feel sad and depressed.
give up the blueline (hockey)
let opponents cross the blueline before you check them If we give up the blueline, they will get more shots on goal
got the blues
feel sad, feel blue Zora's got the blues because her lover was untrue.
like a bolt from the blue
like a sign from heaven, like a flash of light Like a bolt from the blue, I got the idea to shave my head.
once in a blue moon
rarely We go out for Italian food once in a blue moon although we enjoy it very much.
out of the blue
without any warning, by surprise I don
something borrowed, something blue
two of the things required for a happy wedding and successful marriage The bride borrowed a blue garter, so she has something borrowed, something blue!
the air was blue
there was much swearing, someone said bad words When Dad discovered the dent in his Cadillac, the air was blue.
till you're blue in the face
until you are very tired, until you look sick You can train a flea till you're blue in the face, but he won't learn.
true blue
loyal, faithful Moe is true blue. We've been good friends for forty years.
until you're blue...
(See till you're blue in the face)
until you're blue in the face
forever.
blue arsed fly
see like a blue arsed fly
boys in blue
police officers
county blues
prison-issue clothes
like a blue arsed fly
hurriedly and frantically:"God, I'm so knackered, I've been racing around all day like a blue-arsed fly"
look blue
1.look unhappy;look disheartened or dejected愁眉不展;沮丧
She looks blue all day.她整日愁眉不展。
The banker looked blue when he read of the decline in stocks.那位银行家读到股票下跌的新闻时,神情十分沮丧。
You are looking blue, what's the matter?你愁眉苦脸,出了什么事啦?
2. have no hope无希望
Things look blue.事情没有希望了。
out of the blue/a clear sky
without any warning;unexpectedly出其不意地;忽然
You may want to spend time with a longlost friend who drops in out of the blue.如果有一位久已失去联系的朋友突然来访,你会很想同他多呆一会儿。
The cowboy thought he was alone but suddenly out of a clear sky there were Indians all around him.牛仔以为只有自己一人,谁知忽然间身旁出现了许多印第安人。
out of the blue clear sky
without any warning;unexpectedly出其不意地;忽然
You may want to spend time with a longlost friend who drops in out of the blue.如果有一位久已失去联系的朋友突然来访,你会很想同他多呆一会儿。
The cowboy thought he was alone but suddenly out of a clear sky there were Indians all around him.牛仔以为只有自己一人,谁知忽然间身旁出现了许多印第安人。
talk until one is blue in the face
Idiom(s): talk until one is blue in the face
Theme: COMMUNICATION - VERBAL
to talk until one is exhausted. (Informal.)
• I talked until I was blue in the face, but I couldn't change her mind.
• She had to talk until she was blue in the face in order to convince him.
talk a blue streak
Idiom(s): talk a blue streak
Theme: COMMUNICATION - VERBAL
to talk very much and very rapidly. (Informal.)
• Billy didn't talk until he was six, and then he started talking a blue streak.
• I can't understand anything Bob says. He talks a blue streak, and I can't follow his thinking.
out of a clear blue sky
Idiom(s): out of a clear blue sky AND out of the blue
Theme: SUDDENNESS
suddenly; without warning.
• Then, out of a clear blue sky, he told me he was leaving.
• Mary appeared on my doorstep out of the blue.
like a bolt out of the blue
Idiom(s): like a bolt out of the blue
Theme: SUDDENNESS
suddenly and without warning. (Refers to a bolt of lightning coming out of a clear blue sky.)
• The news came to us like a bolt out of the blue.
• Like a bolt out of the blue, the boss came and fired us all.
get the blues
Idiom(s): get the blues
Theme: SORROW
to become sad or depressed.
• You'll have to excuse Bill. He has the blues tonight.
• I get the blues every time I hear that song.
come out of the blue
Idiom(s): come out of the blue
Theme: SURPRISE
to appear suddenly as if from nowhere. (The blue refers to the blue sky.)
• This idea came out of the blue, and I think it is a good one.
• Sally showed up at the party even though no one told her where it was. She just came out of the blue.
burn with a low blue flame
Idiom(s): burn with a low blue flame
Theme: ANGER
to be very angry. (Refers to the imaginary heat caused by extreme anger.)
• By the time she showed up three hours late, I was burning with a low blue flame.
• Whenever Ann gets mad, she just presses her lips together and burns with a low blue flame.
black-and-blue
Idiom(s): black-and-blue
Theme: HARM
bruised; showing signs of having been physically harmed. (Fixed order.)
• The child was black-and-blue after having been struck.
• She was black-and-blue all over after falling out of the tree.
blue around the gills
Idiom(s): pale around the gills AND blue around the gills; green around the gills
Theme: HEALTH - POOR
looking sick. (Informal. The around can be replaced with about.)
• John is looking a little pale around the gills. What's wrong?
• Oh, I feel a little green about the gills.
Be true blue
If a person/object/situation is considered to be 'true blue', it is considered genuine.
Black and blue
This means bruised, either physically or metaphorically.
Blue blood
Someone with blue blood is royalty.
Blue-eyed boy
Someone's blue-eyed boy is their favourite person.
Feeling blue
If you feel blue, you are feeling unwell, mainly associated with depression or unhappiness.
Go blue
If you go blue, you are very cold indeed. ('Turn blue' is an alternative form.)
Hot as blue blazes
If something's as hot as blue blazes, it's extremely hot.
Ragged blue line
(USA) This term was used to signify the Union forces (who wore blue uniforms) in the American Civil war .
Scream blue murder
If someone shouts very loudly in anger, or fear, they scream blue murder.
Thin blue line
(UK) The thin blue line is a term for the police, suggesting that they stand between an ordered society and potential chaos. (Police uniforms are blue.)
Blue Moon
A rare event or occurance.
the blue-eyed boy
a person who can do nothing wrong: "John is the blue-eyed boy at the moment - he's making the most of it!"
black and blue|black|blue
adj. Badly bruised. Poor Jim was black and blue after he fell off the apple tree.