What is the Idiom “See Red”?
Today’s lesson is about the idiom “seeing red.” So, what does the idiomatic expression it made me see red really mean? A person who says “I see red” doesn’t literally see the color red, they’re angry.
Notably, the idiom “I see red,” was first used in 1901. However, there’s a dispute about its origin. Nonetheless, if you encounter a native English speaker saying “when I found out I was scammed, I saw red,” the speaker was angry.
Examples of the idiom “see red”
- Talking to his demanding boss makes Mikazuki sees red.
- Tamara saw red after hearing his name.
- Nora was seeing red when her printer suddenly crashed.
Let’s practice
Q1: Try and make your own sentence.
Q2: Are there certain things that make you see red?
Q3: Can you think of a moment when you saw red?
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What is an Idiom?
Many languages, such as Japanese, French, and Arabic, have idioms, but what are they? Simply put, an idiom is a group of words that has a meaning that can’t be deduced through logic.
Interestingly, an idiom’s meaning has been established by usage rather than entries in a dictionary. And so, if you were to look up the words one by one in a dictionary, you wouldn’t gain any clarity on the meaning of the sentence.
Idioms using color:
The English language uses many idioms that invoke color imagery, like, “He has a green thumb”. These figures of speech are used because colors have a strong association with emotions within a culture. For example, among the Japanese, red symbolizes peace and prosperity, but among Americans, it’s the embodiment of rage.
Other Idioms with the word “see”
There are many idioms that use the word “see” in them, that however has nothing to do with sight. Sounds weird? It sure is! Idioms are words that come together to have a very different meaning, and cannot be understood by the meaning of every word taken alone.
Let’s check out a few of them!
Idiom on “See eye to eye”
This idiom does not mean looking into a person’s eye/staring at someone straight in the eye. It only signifies a person is in full agreement with something or someone.
Example: My mom and I always see eye to eye when it comes to holding kitty parties at home.
Idiom on “See how the land lies”
This is a situation where one tries to understand a particular state of affairs or how a situation has developed before taking any decision/action.
Example: I’m just seeing how the land lies between both the companies, before I decide which offer to take up.
Idiom on “In the Red”
This idiom does not really mean to signify that you are in a red zone. Or physically into anything that’s red in color. It just means to be more in debt. To have more money going out of your pocket than coming in.
Example: My bank account has been in the red since the pandemic.
Eigooo, the English Training Chat Application
To improve your English, the best way is to practice every day.
Eigooo supports you with a 24/7 chat service with real teachers.
- You can chat with the teacher one-on-one.
- The teacher will make immediate corrections to your messages.
- No need to make a reservation. You can start whenever you want.
- The free trial is ready.
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