color (redirected from coloring)

(a) horse of another color and a horse of a different color

Fig. another matter altogether. I was talking about trees, not bushes. Bushes are a horse of another color. Gambling is not the same as investing in the stock market. It's a horse of a different color.

See also: another, horse

someone's true colors

Fig. a person's true attitude, opinions, and biases. When he lost his temper at his wife, I began to see his true colors.

See also: true

color something in

to paint or draw color on a pattern or outline. Here is a sketch. Please color it in. Color in the sketch, please.

lend color to something

Fig. to provide an interesting accompaniment for something. Your clever comments lent a great deal of color to the slide show of your vacation. The excellent master of ceremonies will lend color to an otherwise dry panel discussion.

See also: lend

person of color

a person of an African, Asian, or Native American race. (The plural is people of color.) The apartment manager clearly discriminated against people of color. He would only rent to whites. As a person of color, I felt threatened by the racist jokes that my coworker told.

See also: person

riot of color

Cliché a selection of many bright colors. The landscape was a riot of color each autumn.

See also: riot

sail under false colors 

1. Lit. to sail with false identification. (Pirates often sailed under the national flag of the ship they planned on attacking.) The ship, sailing under false colors, suddenly started to pursue our ship. Bluebeard the pirate was known for sailing under false colors.

2. Fig. to function deceptively. You are not who you seem to be. You are sailing under false colors. Tom was sailing under false colors and finally got found out.

See also: false, sail

see the color of someone's money

Fig. to verify that someone has money or has enough money. So, you want to make a bet? Not until I see the color of your money. I want to see the color of your money before we go any further with this business deal.

See also: money, see

show one's (true) colors

Fig. to show what one is really like or what one is really thinking. Whose side are you on, John? Come on. Show your colors. It's hard to tell what Mary is thinking. She never shows her true colors.

See also: show

with flying colors

Cliché easily and excellently. John passed his geometry test with flying colors. Sally qualified for the race with flying colors.

See also: flying

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a horse of another/a different color  (American)

a situation or a subject that is different from what you had first thought it was You said you didn't like going to the movies, but if you don't want to go because you're broke, that's a horse of another color.

See also: another, different, horse

be off-colour  (British & Australian) also be off-color (American & Australian)

to not be feeling as well as usual He had flu a couple of months ago and he's been a bit off-colour ever since.

come through/pass with flying colours  (British & Australian) also come through/pass with flying colors (American & Australian)

to pass an examination with a very high score or to complete a difficult activity very successfully She took her university entrance exam in December and passed with flying colours. The officer training was gruelling, but he came through with flying colours.

See also: colour, come, flying, through

nail your colours to the mast  (British & Australian) also nail your colors to the mast (American & Australian)

to publicly state your opinions about a subject Nobody knows which way he's going to vote because he has so far refused to nail his colours to the mast.

See nail colours to the mast, show in true colours

See also: colour, mast, nail

off-colour  (British & Australian) also off-color (American & Australian)

off-colour jokes or remarks are about sex in a way that some people find offensive Some of his jokes were a little off-colour and I don't think my grandparents particularly appreciated them.

sail under false colours  (British & Australian) also sail under false colors (American & Australian)

to pretend to be something that you are not in order to deceive people

Usage notes: If a ship sails under false colours, it uses the flag of another country in order to deceive people.

Lewis was sailing under false colours - he never told her he was a journalist.

See also: colour, false, sail

see the colour of somebody's money  (British & Australian) also see the color of somebody's money (American & Australian)

to make sure that someone can pay for something before you let them have it I want to see the colour of his money before I say the car's his.

See also: colour, money, see

show somebody in their true colours  (British & Australian) also show somebody in their true colors (American & Australian)

to show what someone's real character is, especially when it is unpleasant By showing the terrorists in their true colours, the government hopes to undermine public support for them.

See also: colour, show, true

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show somebody's/something's true colors also reveal somebody's/something's true colors

to let others see what someone or something is really like Hal's wife showed her true colors by getting a second job when he lost his. Workers felt the company revealed its true colors during the crisis.

See also: show, true

with flying colors

with great success She took a driving test and passed with flying colors. My brother always managed to get through his courses, although not always with flying colors.

Etymology: based on the small and colorful flags flown (hung in the wind) on boats and ships in a race or when coming into port

See also: flying