Blue is a color that has been associated with a range of emotions, from calmness and tranquility to sadness and melancholy. In the English language, the color blue has also inspired a plethora of idiomatic expressions that have become a part of our everyday language.
From “feeling blue” to “out of the blue,” these idioms offer a creative and engaging way of expressing various aspects of human experience, from sadness and surprise to uncertainty and optimism. I
n this post, we will explore some of the most interesting and widely used blue idioms, examining their meanings and origins, and discovering the valuable insights they offer for everyday communication.
Through these idioms, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of our language and the ways in which it reflects and shapes our experiences.
29 Blue Idioms & Phrases (Meaning & Examples)
1. Blue And White
- Meaning: The police.
- Use In A Sentence: I was just enjoying my morning cup of coffee when the blue and white raced up into my neighbor’s lawn.
2. Blue Blood
- Meaning: a member of a rich family; a person of noble birth.
- Use In A Sentence: She is blue-blooded.
3. To Talk Until One Is Blue In The Face
- Meaning: To talk about something for a long time or to talk about the same things multiple times.
- Use In A Sentence: I could talk to him until I am blue in the face and I still don’t think I could change his mind.
4. To Be In A Blue Funk
- Meaning: to be in a panic or to be in an extremely anxious state.
- Use In A Sentence: Don’t get in a blue funk, I am sure she will be here on time.
4. To Be Blue Around The Gills
- Meaning: Someone who looks sick; possibly wanting to throw up.
- Synonyms: to be green around the gills.
- Use In A Sentence: Are you okay? you look a little blue around the gills. Yes, I think I just need some fresh air.
5. Blue Suit
- Meaning: (slang) The police.
- Use In A Sentence: You might want to slow down around here, the blue suits usually set up a speed tramp around this corner.
6. Blue Collar
- Meaning: The working class; doing manual labor.
- Use In A Sentence: Many blue-collared families live in this part of the city.
7. Black And Blue
- Meaning: to be bruised. It can also mean to be hurt either physically or emotionally.
- Use In A Sentence: She will be black and blue tomorrow after falling off the horse.
8. Once In A Blue Moon
- Meaning: Something that rarely happens.
- Use In A Sentence: She only comes home once in a blue moon now that she lives so far away.
9. To Look Through Blue Glasses
- Meaning: to have a distorted view of someone because of preconceived prejudices.
- Use In A Sentence: Stop looking through blue glasses and look at their performance.
10. Into The Wild Blue Yonder
- Meaning: to go somewhere that is unknown.
- Use In A Sentence: I haven’t seen him until he sold everything and set off into the wild blue yonder.
11. Big Blue
- Meaning: another name for IBM a well-known computer company.
- Use In A Sentence: Big Blue’s stocks have soared since their new product hit the shelf.
12. Into The Blue
- Meaning: to disappear; to be out of sight.
- Use In A Sentence: I have no idea where your books went, they seem to have disappeared into the blue.
13. A Bolt Out Of The Blue
- Meaning: something that happened unexpectedly, suddenly.
- Use In A Sentence: The letter came as a letter out of the blue.
14. Blue Hair
- Meaning: an elderly woman.
- Use In A Sentence: The coffee shop was filled with a lot of blue hairs this morning.
15. Out Of The Clear Blue Sky
- Meaning: something totally unexpected; out of nowhere
- Use In A Sentence: The news that he was moving to another country came out of the clear blue sky.
16. To Feel Blue
- Meaning: to be depressed; to feel sad.
- Use In A Sentence: This cold weather is making me feel blue. We need to go somewhere warmer for the weekend.
17. Blue-Sky Research
- Meaning: to research something with no particular purpose or reason in mind.
- Use In A Sentence: Stop wasting your time on blue-sky research and focus on what is more important.
18. The Blue Screen Of Death
- Meaning: a funny term to use when a computer crashes and you only see the blue screen that means windows is restarting.
- Use In A Sentence: I was making great progress on my research paper until my computer crashed and all I saw was the blue screen of death.
19. True Blue
- Meaning: a person who is loyal, faithful.
- Use In A Sentence: Even after the bad news broke, he still supported her. He is a true blue fan.
20. Blues And Twos
- Meaning: (British English) an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance.
- Use In A Sentence: The blues and twos zipping by our house woke me up.
21. To Burn With A Low Blue Flame
- Meaning: to be extremely angry and yet not express it.
- Use In A Sentence: She was sitting there with the letter still in her hand, burning with a low blue flame.
22. To Dip Into The Blue
- Meaning: to say obscene or vulgar words.
- Use In A Sentence: He was so angry he dipped into the blue.
23. To Have A Blue Fit
- Meaning: (British English) to be angry.
- Use In A Sentence: His little girl had a blue fit when he told her she couldn’t buy that toy.
24. Men (Women) In Blue
- Meaning: the police.
- Use In A Sentence: I am not sure what is going on, but something is going on. The men in blue showed up at his house last night.
25. Like Blue Blazes
- Meaning: to be great degree; a lot.
- Use In A Sentence: This cut on my hand hurts like blue blazes.
26. Like A Blue Arsed Fly
- Meaning: to be in a hurry. To do something quickly with very little control.
- Use In A Sentence: What is Tim’s problem this morning? He has been running around like a blue arsed fly since he walked in that door.
27. …In Blue Blazes?
- Meaning: used as a question to express confusion (or frustration) over something. Usually used with who, how, what, where, when, or why.
- Use In A Sentence: Why in blue blazes did she leave these books on my desk? I told her they needed to be returned to the library this morning.
28. Hoist The Blue Peter
- Meaning: to prepare to leave for something; to depart.
- Use In A Sentence: What time are you going to hoist the blue peter? I think we are going to leave for the Bahamas at 5:00 am.
29. To Talk A Blue Streak
- Meaning: to speak very quickly. Usually used to describe a person that speaks a lot and talks very rapidly.
- Use In A Sentence: I didn’t understand a thing from his speech. He talks a blue streak and it was hard to follow his line of reasoning.
In conclusion, blue idioms provide a unique and powerful tool for expressing a range of emotions and experiences.
They offer a creative way of communicating complex ideas and feelings and remind us of the beauty and significance of the color blue in our lives.
From the positive associations of calmness and tranquility to the negative connotations of sadness and melancholy, these idioms offer a fascinating insight into the ways in which our language is shaped by our experiences and culture.
By mastering the art of using blue idioms, we can not only improve our language skills but also gain valuable insights into human behavior and interaction, and ultimately, increase our appreciation for the rich tapestry of our world.
There you have it! 29 Blue Idioms! Did we miss one? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
