Yellow Idioms

Yellow Idioms 

Hello, English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. We will look at the yellow idioms and ways of using the word yellow.

Yellow usually refers to a lack of courage, so we can say someone is yellow if we mean that he/she is a coward.

Rob was too yellow to ask his boss for a promotion.

Yellow Idioms 

We say that the leaves turn yellow in autumn, and a football referee gives a yellow card to a player as a warning for the player’s conduct. Clouds in the sky can turn yellow in the evening, and pages of old books can become yellow because of old age.

A yellow traffic light precedes the red light, so the drivers understand that they need to prepare to stop.

Yellow pages are telephone directories of businesses where you can find names and addresses of companies and the services they offer.

They looked for a wedding agency in the Yellow Pages.

A form of journalism focused on sensationalism to attract readers is called yellow journalism. Related to that is a yellow journalist.

Yellow Idioms 

Let’s look at the idioms using the colour yellow.

A yellow streak

If you have or show a yellow streak, you act cowardly.

• Mark is not very brave; he has a yellow streak.
• A new lifeguard seemed alright at the job interview but then he showed a yellow streak when a woman was drowning.

Yellow brick road

If you walk the yellow brick road, your hopes and dreams will be fulfilled.

• When he got a new job, Stephen thought it was the beginning of the yellow brick road.
• Sandra has been dreaming about walking down the yellow brick road of fame since she was a child.

Yellow Idioms 

Yellow-bellied

A yellow-bellied person is a coward, someone who is easily frightened.

• Tom was a yellow-bellied man who didn’t have enough courage to ask his girlfriend to marry him.
• Despite all his boasting, he was still a yellow-bellied guy without much ambition.

 

Yellow cake

A yellow cake is a rich cake, yellow in colour because of too many egg yolks used in it.

• Monica made a big, heavy, yellow cake for her son’s birthday.

Yellow journalism

Meaning: Sensational or exaggerated reporting, often used to attract attention rather than to report facts accurately.

• The newspaper was accused of yellow journalism for spreading rumours without proof.
• In the world of yellow journalism, truth often takes a back seat to shocking headlines.

Yellow card

Meaning: A warning or caution, especially in sports (football/soccer).

• The referee gave him a yellow card for rough play.
• In life, sometimes you need a yellow card moment before you get your act together.

Yellow Idioms 

Yellow peril

Meaning: (Old-fashioned/offensive) A racist phrase once used to describe fear of East Asian people; use only when discussing historical context.

• The phrase yellow peril appeared in early 20th-century newspapers, reflecting racial prejudice of the time.
• He researched how the idea of yellow peril influenced Western politics.

Yellow dog contract

Meaning: A type of work agreement where employees promise not to join a trade union (historical term).

• The yellow dog contract was common before labour rights were established.
• Workers refused to sign yellow dog contracts and went on strike.

Mellow yellow

Meaning: Calm, relaxed, easy-going (also a phrase popularised by the 1960s song).

• After the holidays, everyone was feeling mellow yellow and ready to take it slow.
• She’s such a mellow yellow type — nothing seems to bother her.

Yellow fever

Meaning: A tropical viral disease spread by mosquitoes.

• Yellow fever spread quickly during the 19th-century outbreak.

Yellow light

Meaning: A signal to slow down or proceed with caution — not just in traffic, but also metaphorically.

• The project was given a yellow light until more data came in.
• When you see a yellow light in life, it’s time to think carefully before moving on.

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Learn other colour idioms:

Green idioms and different ways of using the word green

Red idioms

Black idioms