ENGLISH
REFERENCE

red face test

idiom

A hypothetical test of a person's embarrassment that is either passed or failed. Saying one passes the red face test means one would not blush and thus would not be embarrassed by disclosing something to others or doing something, and saying one fails the red face test means a situation would cause them discernible embarrassment.


Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bash someone's face in

    To beat someone violently.

  2. 02

    bleed red ink

    To suffer from severe net losses.

  3. 03

    blow up in one's face

    To fail disastrously.

  4. 04

    Boat

    [Cockney slang]face

    via boat race

  5. 05

    break someone's face

    To beat up someone violently.

  6. 06

    butter face

    Alternative form of butterface.

  7. 07

    clap one's hands red

    To clap or applaud intensely.

  8. 08

    close the face

    To turn the face of the bat inwards, in order to hit the ball to the leg side.

© 2026 English Reference