rose

not be all moonlight and roses

if a situation is not all moonlight and roses, it is not always pleasant. Marriage isn't all moonlight and roses. It can be hard work keeping a relationship together.

See also: all, moonlight

be no bed of roses

if a situation is no bed of roses, it is difficult or unpleasant. It's no bed of roses, raising two kids on one salary, that's for sure. Life isn't a bed of roses, you know.

See also: bed

come out/up smelling of roses (British & Australian, American)

if you come out smelling of roses, people believe you are good and honest after a difficult situation which could have made you seem bad or dishonest. There was a major fraud investigation, but Smith still came out smelling of roses.

See also: come, smell

Everything's coming up roses.

something that you say when a situation is successful in every way. Everything's coming up roses for George at the moment - he's been promoted at work and he's just got engaged.

See also: coming

put the roses in someone's cheeks

to make someone look healthy. A brisk walk will soon put the roses back in your cheeks.

See also: cheek

rose-coloured glasses (British & Australian, American & Australian, British)

if someone thinks about or looks at something with rose-coloured glasses, they think it is more pleasant than it really is. She's nostalgic for a past that she sees through rose-colored glasses.

See also: glass

rose-tinted glasses (British, American & Australian, British)

if someone looks at something through rose-tinted glasses, they see only the pleasant parts of it. She has always looked at life through rose-tinted glasses.

See also: glass

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something is not a bed of roses

something is not easy and without troubles. He soon discovered that living in a foreign country is not always a bed of roses.

See also: bed

(come up) smelling like a rose

to end something positively or as a winner. Everyone thought he was guilty, but Smith still came up smelling like a rose. Hahn made a terrible play in the first half, but he was smelling like a rose by the finish.

See also: like, smell

through rose-colored glasses

with an attitude that things are better than they really are. Looked at through rose-colored glasses, the story of women's role in the state's politics could be considered a success.

Usage notes: usually used with see something or look at something: The magazine had a habit of looking at social issues through rose-colored glasses.

See also: glass, rose-colored, through