Idioms

spectacle

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look (at something) through rose-coloured spectacles

To assume a generally optimistic and cheerful attitude (toward something); to focus only or mostly on the positive aspects (of something). Primarily heard in UK. I know nostalgia can be misleading, but I really look at my childhood through rose-coloured spectacles. It seems like Mary only looks through rose-coloured spectacles, like she's in incapable of dealing with the negative things in life!
See also: look, spectacle, through

look (at something) through rose-tinted spectacles

To assume a generally optimistic and cheerful attitude (toward something); to focus on the positive aspects (of something). Primarily heard in UK. I know nostalgia can be misleading, but I really look at my childhood through rose-tinted spectacles. It seems like Mary only looks through rose-tinted spectacles, like she's in incapable of dealing with the negative things in life!
See also: look, spectacle, through

make a spectacle of (oneself)

To attract attention by foolish or conspicuous behavior. Katie made a spectacle of herself at the New Year's Eve party by confronting her ex-boyfriend in front of all the other guests. Darren's so clumsy that he tends to make a spectacle of himself everywhere he goes.
See also: make, of, spectacle

rose-colored glasses

An unduly idealistic, optimistic, sentimental, or wistful perspective on or about something. Primarily heard in US. I know Sarah looks on our childhood with rose-colored glasses, but I can't put aside how difficult my parents' failing marriage was for all of us. Despite doing worse every quarter for the last two years, our boss keeps seeing the business through rose-colored glasses. You need to take off your rose-colored glasses for a moment and realize that there are serious problems in the world that need fixing.
See also: glass

rose-coloured spectacles

An unduly idealistic, optimistic, sentimental, or wistful perspective on or about something. Primarily heard in UK. I know Sarah looks on our childhood with rose-coloured spectacles, but I can't put aside how difficult my parents' failing marriage was for all of us. Despite doing worse every quarter for the last two years, our boss keeps seeing the business through rose-coloured spectacles. You need to take off your rose-coloured spectacles for a moment and realise that there are serious problems in the world that need fixing.
See also: spectacle

rose-tinted spectacles

An unduly idealistic, optimistic, sentimental, or wistful perspective on or about something. Primarily heard in UK. I know Sarah looks on our childhood with rose-tinted spectacles, but I can't put aside how difficult my parents' failing marriage was for all of us. Despite doing worse every quarter for the last two years, our boss keeps seeing the business through rose-tinted spectacles. You need to take off your rose-tinted spectacles for a moment and realise that there are serious problems in the world that need fixing.
See also: spectacle

see (something) through rose-coloured spectacles

To assume a generally optimistic and cheerful attitude toward something; to focus only or mostly on the positive aspects of something. Primarily heard in UK. Nostalgia can be misleading—we all tend to see our childhoods through rose-coloured spectacles. I think Mary is only capable of seeing things through rose-coloured spectacles, like she's in complete denial of the negative things in life!
See also: see, spectacle, through

through rose-coloured spectacles

With a generally optimistic and cheerful attitude. Primarily heard in UK. I know you look at your childhood through rose-coloured spectacles, but nostalgia like that can be misleading. I think Mary is only capable of seeing things through rose-coloured spectacles, like she's in complete denial of the negative things in life.
See also: spectacle, through
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

rose-tinted spectacles

or

rose-tinted glasses

or

rose-coloured glasses

COMMON If someone sees something or someone through rose-tinted spectacles or rose-coloured glasses, they only notice the good things about them and so their view is unrealistic. Note: `Rose-coloured' is spelled `rose-colored' in American English. He accused diplomats of looking at the world through rose-tinted spectacles. I realise we all tend to see our children through rose-tinted glasses. Real estate broker Tom Foye believes that many buyers tend to look at houses with rose-colored glasses. Consequently, they end up feeling cheated.
See also: spectacle
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

make a ˈspectacle of yourself

draw attention to yourself by behaving or dressing in a ridiculous way in public: He made a spectacle of himself by shouting at the barman.
See also: make, of, spectacle
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
References in classic literature
Especially the man with spectacles, who had sneered at all the company in turn, now twisted his visage into such an expression of ill-natured mirth, that Matthew asked him, rather peevishly, what he himself meant to do with the Great Carbuncle.
Vain and foolish were the motives that had brought most of the adventurers to the Crystal Hills; but none so vain, so foolish, and so impious too, as that of the scoffer with the prodigious spectacles. He was one of those wretched and evil men whose yearnings are downward to the darkness, instead of heavenward, and who, could they but extinguish the lights which God hath kindled for us, would count the midnight gloom their chiefest glory.
They turned their heads, and there was the Cynic, with his prodigious spectacles set carefully on his nose, staring now at the lake, now at the rocks, now at the distant masses of vapor, now right at the Great Carbuncle itself, yet seemingly as unconscious of its light as if all the scattered clouds were condensed about his person.
"Take off those abominable spectacles, and you cannot help seeing it!"
Now these colored spectacles probably darkened the Cynic's sight, in at least as great a degree as the smoked glasses through which people gaze at an eclipse.
The Cynic, having cast aside his spectacles, wandered about the world a miserable object, and was punished with an agonizing desire of light, for the wilful blindness of his former life.
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"You expect I am going to give you a little fortune, eh?" he said, looking above his spectacles and pausing in the act of opening the lid.
Featherstone eyed him again over his spectacles and presented him with a little sheaf of notes: Fred could see distinctly that there were but five, as the less significant edges gaped towards him.
Featherstone, locking his box and replacing it, then taking off his spectacles deliberately, and at length, as if his inward meditation had more deeply convinced him, repeating, "I should think it handsome."
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'I have no doubt you are, my friend,' replied the old gentleman: fixing his spectacles more firmly on his nose, and looking about him for the inkstand.
The old gentleman in the tortoise-shell spectacles looked at his companion, he nodded significantly.
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With a slight turn of the head the glitter of the spectacles seemed to gauge the size of the beer saloon in the basement of the renowned Silenus Restaurant.
"This is a transcendental way of putting it," said Ossipon, watching the cold glitter of the round spectacles. "I've heard Karl Yundt say much the same thing not very long ago."
The other turned his spectacles upon Ossipon like a pair of searchlights.
He levelled his spectacles at the latter's face point-blank.
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