Are you feeling as lucky as a leprechaun?
Then I give you the green light to go chasing rainbows!
Can you guess what these idioms mean?
No?
Read on to find out!
As it is Saint Patrick’s Day on 17th March, I wanted to honour it by sharing some useful idioms especially to do with the colour green or luck. Why?
Because St Patrick’s Day is the day we celebrate Ireland and its traditions and one of their traditions is the green leprechaun who has a pot of gold at the end of his rainbow.
Let’s take a look at the idioms!
- To have a green thumb:
This means to be good at gardening.
For example: my mum has a green thumb but I do not so I always ask for her help in the garden. - To give the green light:
To give permission to do something, to allow someone to do something.
For example: we got the green light to launch Intrepid English in Saudi Arabia. - To go green:
To become more environmentally friendly by thinking more of the environment and changing habits to be conscious of the effect on the world.
For example: my family and I went green a couple of years ago. We have an electric motorbike instead of a car and we recycle everything as well as avoiding anything plastic. - To be green with envy:
To get jealous about someone or something.
For example: she was green with envy when she saw her friend’s new coat. - To feel lucky:
This means exactly what it says! To feel or sense that good luck is coming your way and that you will be lucky.
For example: my husband wants to play the lottery tonight. He says he’s feeling lucky. I hope he wins! - The luck of the draw:
This means that the outcome or result is dependent on pure luck or chance.
For example: you can’t choose who you play against in the tournament. It’s the luck of the draw. - To push one’s luck:
To test the boundaries and try and get what you want even if you know it is likely to be a negative response.
For example: he doesn’t dare push his luck and ask for more holiday time when he has already been given 2 weeks’ off. - To luck out:
To have extraordinary good fortune happen to you, to be fortunate with something.
For example: she lucked out at the Taylor Swift concert as her seat was right next to the stage and Taylor Swift appeared in front of her. - To strike gold:
To have something wonderful happen to you!
For example: I struck gold when I met my husband. He’s the perfect match for me. - To have a heart of gold:
To be a truly kind and lovely person.
For example: Lorraine truly has a heart of gold. She is so kind and always thinking of others and how to help them.
Those are my top 10 and here’s an extra one for good luck:
Never stop chasing rainbows as you never know you might find your pot of gold! (Never stop chasing your dreams even if they seem impossible as you might achieve all you desire!)
Be sure to watch my video from our Friday Ask Us Anything lives on our YouTube channel where I recap these idioms.