blue (redirected from doing till is blue in the face)

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.

See also: between, deep, devil, sea

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.

See also: black

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.

See also: blood

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.

See also: boy

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.

See also: bolt, from

the boys in blue (British & Australian)

the police. The boys in blue were round again last night, asking questions.

See also: boy

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.

See also: wide, wild

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.

See also: blaze, like

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.

See also: moon, once

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.

See also: around, fly, like, run, rush

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.

See also: murder, scream

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.

See also: down, swear

talk a blue streak (American)

to say a lot very fast. She talked a blue streak and we just had to listen.

See also: talk

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.

See also: face, until

[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?

See also: blaze, who, why

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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

See also: between, deep, devil, sea

(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

See also: face

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

See also: bolt, from, like

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 )

See also: moon, once

out of a clear blue sky

out of the blue

See also: clear, sky

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.

out of thin air

swear up and down

to say as strongly as possible. He swore up and down that he didn't know the guy at all.

Etymology: based on the meaning of swear on the Bible or sometimes swear on a stack of Bibles (= to promise that a statement is true)

See also: down, swear