English Phrases with Blue in them

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  • Post last modified:02/05/2023
  • Post category:English Idioms
  • Reading time:14 mins read

English phrases with blue in them. The colour blue is one of the sad colours.

Blue usually creates negative feelings of sadness or melancholy.

Let’s learn English idioms with blue: once in a blue moon, scream/shout blue murder and many more. And don’t forget to learn 18 English colour idioms 

List of blue idioms

English Idioms with Blue

English idioms with blue in them. English colour idioms. From intermediate to advanced English with www.englishlessonviaskype.com #learnenglish #englishlessons #EnglishTeacher #vocabulary #ingles #อังกฤษ #английский #aprenderingles #english #cursodeingles #учианглийский #vocabulário #dicasdeingles #learningenglish #ingilizce #englishgrammar #englishvocabulary #ielts #idiomas

They say that the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year! Here are some English phrases with BLUE in them. 

Yes, they really do say that on the third Monday in January people are more likely to feel blue (to feel depressed, to feel down) due to the fact that (because) the Christmas and New Year holidays are well and truly (completely) over.

We have returned to work, we have nothing to look forward to in the short term (in the near future) AND you still have to wait approximately (about) two weeks to get paid!

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You can add to this quite long list the fact that you are probably in debt (owe a lot of money on your credit card) you have to return those presents you did not really like. And yes, the bills you did not pay before Christmas really have to be paid now.

Ugh (terrible)

So there are many reasons for feeling down (depressed or sad) on a Monday particularly in January but do not worry by the time you read this, January will be a distant memory (almost forgotten) I hope!

English Phrases with Blue in Them

Monday blues

Meaning: that terrible feeling when you switch off the alarm on a Monday morning and realise the weekend is over

Most Mondays are depressing in some way. That is why we refer to it generally as the Monday Morning Blues. 

Example:

Most of the employees feel less motivated and always have Monday blues.

(to have) blue blood

Meaning: we can use this expression when we refer to aristocrats (people perhaps from a wealthy background or from a monarchy).

Example: 

He left everyone in a belief that he was of blue blood.

blue-chip stocks

Meaning: reliable safe investments

When we make investments we often try to invest in blue-chip stocks.  So if we want to take a risk but not a big risk then blue-chip stocks (Coca Cola or BP or Proctor & Gamble) are often recommended.

Example:

One of the reasons to start investing in blue-chip stocks is because of the income, or dividends they pay out.

till someone is blue in the face

Meaning: this is used to describe a certain amount of frustration or annoyance when you have to do something continuously but without results

Example:

If she thought she was in the right she’d argue till she was blue in the face.

Blue in the face - english idiom meaning

Until/till you are blue in the face meaning - video lesson

English Phrases with Blue in them

running around like a blue-arsed fly

Meaning:  to be very busy doing lots of different things in a short space of time

The fly it refers to is the blue bottle, a big horrible fly that buzzes around your room until you either kill it or it escapes.

Example:
 
I had a really terrible day. I was running around like a blue arsed fly all morning trying to get that meeting organised and then at the end of the day the bosses just cancelled it.
 

the blue rinse brigade

Meaning: not such a polite phrase that refers to a group of women of a certain age who dye their grey hair a blue or purple colour
 
Example:
 
For our holiday last year, we managed to have picked a town that was full of retired people so it was very quiet. The restaurants and bars were full of old retired women. I felt like part of the blue rinse brigade. They actually turned out to be a lot of fun, singing and dancing!!
 

English Idioms with Blue

English idioms with blue in them. English colour idioms. From intermediate to advanced English with www.englishlessonviaskype.com #learnenglish #englishlessons #EnglishTeacher #vocabulary #ingles #อังกฤษ #английский #aprenderingles #english #cursodeingles #учианглийский #vocabulário #dicasdeingles #learningenglish #ingilizce #englishgrammar #englishvocabulary #ielts #idiomas

out of the blue

Meaning: something that happened or occurred unexpectedly and definitely not planned

Example:

I hadn’t heard a word from my brother for months. I thought he had forgotten all about me. Then out of the blue, he called to say he was in town and wanted to meet up.

once in a blue moon

Meaning: a very rare occurrence

The moon as we all know is (or it appears to us) white in the sky at night. Very occasionally it appears to change colour due to some activity in the atmosphere.

Example:

A husband and wife were arguing about household duties or chores (housework).

👩 WIFE:  You never do anything around the house. You never help with the washing up or offer to do the ironing.

👱 HUSBAND: That’s not true. I put the rubbish bins out last week and I ironed my shirt on Saturday!

👩 WIFE: Yes, once in a blue moon but usually I do all the ironing!

English Idioms with Blue

like a bolt from the blue

Meaning: we use it to refer to news, mostly bad news, that you get unexpectedly

Example:

I was working as I always then like a bolt from the blue my boss asked to see me and told me I was being made redundant. It turns out that the company was losing money and 10 of us had to go. 

to go off into the blue

Meaning: to go away suddenly, to disappear, to vanish

Example:

My wife ordered a pizza which was delivered immediately but my order went off into the blue.

to talk a blue streak 

Meaning: (North American) to talk quickly without stopping

Example:

The woman who sat behind me in the aeroplane talked a blue streak.

to scream/shout blue murder

Meaning: to shout very loudly when you’re not happy with something

Example:

Environmental activists are screaming blue murder about climate control.

So here are my English idioms and phrases with blue in them. Let me give them to you one more time:

  • feeling blue
  • Monday blues
  • (have) blue blood
  • blue-chip stocks
  • till someone is blue in the face
  • running like a blue-arsed fly
  • the blue rinse brigade
  • out of the blue
  • once in a blue moon
  • like a bolt from the blue
  • to go off into the blue
  • to talk a blue streak
  • to scream/shout blue murder

The next time you wake up on a Monday with that Monday blue feeling remember, it is only a day of 24 hours like every other day and perhaps not so bad after all.

So I hope your Mondays continue to be short and your coffee strong!

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New English Vocabulary Words

to feel blue – to feel sad, to feel down, to be depressed
due to the fact – because
well and truly – completely
in the short term – in the near future
to be in debt – to owe a lot of money usually on your credit card
approximately – about
ugh – terrible
to feel down – to feel depressed or sad
distant memory – almost forgotten
chores – housework

More Information

For more information on English Expressions, English  Phrasal Verbs and English Grammar Rules, check out the links below:

English Expressions with LOOK

Phrasal Verbs with Over

Plenty of resources for different levels of English at Learning English with the BBC.

There are lots of songs that include the word  BLUE in the title and the reference is definitely depressing and sad.

For example, “When Im feeling blue all I have to do” (Phil Collins)

or “I guess that’s why they call it the blues” (Elton John)

But they are not always sad and some of them are a lot more upbeat (exciting and happy) such as “Blue Suede Shoes” (Elvis)

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