collar (redirected from collaring)

blue collar

of the lower class or working class; of a job or a worker, having to do with manual labor. (Also, when used as an attributive adjective, often blue-collar. Compare this with white collar. Alludes to the typical color of work shirts worn by mechanics, laborers, etc.) His parents were both blue-collar workers. He was the first person in his family to go to college. They bought a house in a nice, settled, blue-collar neighborhood.

See also: blue

collar-and-tie men

Rur. businessmen who wear dress shirts and ties. After Jim graduated from college, he went off to join the collar-and-tie men. Us working folks at the plant have an awful time getting the collar-and-tie men to see our point of view.

See also: men

hot under the collar

Fig. very angry. The boss was really hot under the collar when you told him you lost the contract. I get hot under the collar every time I think about it.

See also: hot

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blue-collar

a blue-collar worker is someone who does physical work, often in a factory (always before noun) Blue collar workers in the factories and shipyards were demanding wage increases. They are hoping the new factory will create many more blue collar jobs. (= jobs for blue collar workers)

hot under the collar  (informal)

if someone is hot under the collar, they are angry He got very hot under the collar when I suggested that he might be mistaken. The issue of waste disposal is getting a lot of people hot under the collar. Don't get all hot under the collar -- I'm only suggesting some minor changes to our plans!

See also: hot

pink-collar  (American)

pink-collar jobs are jobs that women usually do, often in offices and for little money Most women returning to work after raising children, head for pink-collar jobs in sales and service.

white-collar

a white-collar worker is someone who works in an office, doing mental rather than physical work (always before noun) The ratio of white-collar workers to production workers in the American manufacturing industry was declining. The earnings of women in white-collar jobs are the second highest in Britain. The 1980's saw an explosion in white-collar crime. (= crimes committed by white-collar workers, especially stealing from the organization they work for)

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hot under the collar

angry The criticisms seemed unfair to me and I got pretty hot under the collar when I thought about them later.

See also: hot