turn a number of shades of red
To blush, especially out of embarrassment or shame.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He turned a number of shades of red when he tripped.”
“When the teacher read his private poem aloud, he turned a number of shades of red in front of the class.”
“Realizing that he had been caught in a blatant lie, the politician turned a number of shades of red while the cameras captured his visible discomfort.”
- 01
bleed red ink
To suffer from severe net losses.
- 02
Buggins's turn
A humorous, disparaging term for the appointment of a person by rotation or promotion, on the basis of length of service (it being that person's "turn") rather than merit or level of qualification.
- 03
call someone's number
To focus on someone, asking them to prove themselves.
- 04
clap one's hands red
To clap or applaud intensely.
- 05
cut red tape
To reduce bureaucracy.
- 06
do a number on
To damage, especially to a significant extent; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects in.
- 07
everything one touches turns to gold
Everything someone uses or does succeeds or becomes better.
- 08
everything one touches turns to shit
Everything someone uses or does fails or becomes worse.
Last updated August 10, 2026