see the color of (one's) money
(redirected from see the color of their money)see the color of (one's) money
To view the money that one will pay with in order to verify that they have it. Sure I trust you—but I still want to see the color of your money so I know you're good for it.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
color of someone's money, see the
Prove that you can pay, as in Before we talk any more about this car, let's see the color of your money. This term probably originated in gambling or betting. [Slang; early 1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
see the colour of someone's money
receive some evidence of forthcoming payment from a person.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
see the ˌcolour of somebody’s ˈmoney
(British English) (American English see the ˌcolor of somebody’s ˈmoney) (informal) make sure that somebody has enough money to pay you, especially if you think they might not have it: I want to see the colour of his money before I start doing such a dangerous job for him.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
color of your money, let's see the
Back up your claim with hard evidence. A twentieth-century Americanism, according to Eric Partridge, it originated in gambling or betting, as a challenge or to make sure that the bettor actually had enough cash to cover a bet. One writer holds that it was already common in eighteenth-century England, but his citation is not verifiable. In any event, it is unlikely that the actual hue of the money was in doubt, unless the questioner felt it might be counterfeit. More likely “color” was used figuratively for something readily identifiable.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer