RedFortheancientRomans,aredflagwasasignalforbattle.Becauseofitsvisibility,stopsigns,stoplights,brakelights,andfireequipmentareallpaintedred.TheancientEgyptiansconsideredthemselvesaredraceandpaintedtheirbodieswithreddyeforemphasis.InRussia,redmeansbeautiful.TheBolsheviksusedaredflagastheirsymbolwhentheyoverthrewthetsarin1917.Thatishowredbecamethecolorofcommunism.InIndia,redisthesymbolforasoldier.InSouthAfrica,redisthecolorofmourning.It'sconsideredgoodlucktotiearedbowonanewcar.InChina,redisthecolorofgoodluckandisusedasaholidayandweddingcolor.Chinesebabiesaregiventheirnamesatared-eggceremony.Superstitiouspeoplethinkredfrightensthedevil.A“red-letterday”isoneofspecialimportanceandgoodfortune.InGreece,eggsaredyedredforgoodluckatEastertime.To“paintthetownred”istocelebrate.Redisthecolormostcommonlyfoundinnationalflags.IntheEnglishWaroftheRoses,redwasthecoloroftheHouseofLancaster,whichdefeatedtheHouseofYork,symbolizedbythecolorwhite.The“Redshirts”werethesoldiersoftheItalianleaderGaribaldi,whounifiedmodernItalyinthenineteenthcentury.To“seered”istobeangry.A“redherring”isadistraction,somethingthattakesattentionawayfromtherealissue.A“redeye”isanovernightairplaneflight.Ifabusinessis“inthered,”itislosingmoney.GreenOnlyonenationalflagisasolidcolor:thegreenflagofLibya.AncientEgyptianscoloredthefloorsoftheirtemplesgreen.InancientGreece,greensymbolizedvictory.InthehighlandsofScotland,peopleworegreenasamarkofhonor.GreenisthenationalcolorofIreland.A“greenback”isslangforaU.S.dollarbill.Greenmeans“go.”When“allsystemsaregreen,”itmeanseverythingisinorder.Thegreenroomofaconcerthallortheateriswhereperformersrelaxbeforegoingonstage.The“green-eyedmonster”isjealousy.Agreenhornisanewcomerorunsophisticatedperson.Greenisyouthful.Being“greenaroundthegills”islookingpaleandsickly.“Greenwithenvy”meansfullofenvyorjealousy.Apersonwitha“greenthumb”isgoodatmakingplantsgrow.Agreen,orcommon,isatownpark.Greenisahealingcolor,thecolorofnature.non-pollutionInancientRome,publicservantsworeblue.Today,policeandotherpublicservantswearblue.InIran,blueisthecolorofmourning.Bluewasusedasprotectionagainstwitches,whosupposedlydislikethecolor.Ifyouare“trueblue,”youareloyalandfaithful.Bluestandsforlove,whichiswhyabridecarriesorwearssomethingblueonherweddingday.Aroompaintedblueissaidtoberelaxing.“Feelingblue”isfeelingsad.“Something“outoftheblue”isfromanunknownsourceatanunexpectedtime.Abluebookisalistofsociallyprominentpeople.Thefirstprizegetsablueribbon.Abluebloodisapersonofnobledescent.Thisisprobablyfromtheblueveinsofthefair-complexionedaristocratswhofirstusedthisterm.“Intotheblue”meansintotheunknown.A“bluenose”isastrict,puritanicalperson.A“bluestocking”usedtobeascholarlyorhighlyknowledgeablewoman.ThepharaohsofancientEgyptworeblueforprotectionagainstevil.The“blues”isastyleofmusicderivedfromsouthernAfrican-Americansecularsongs.Itinfluencedthedevelopmentofrock,R&B,andcountrymusic.“Bluelaws”areusedtoenforcemoralstandards.Ablueribbonpanelisagroupofespeciallyqualifiedpeople.Purple,VioletTheEgyptianqueenCleopatralovedpurple.ToobtainoneounceofTyrianpurpledye,shehadherservantssoak20,000Purpurasnailsfor10days.InThailand,purpleiswornbyawidowmourningherhusband'sdeath.A“purpleheart”isaU.S.militarydecorationforsoldierswoundedorkilledinbattle.Purpleisaroyalcolor.Purplerobesareanemblemofauthorityandrank.“Purplespeech”isprofanetalk.“Purpleprose”iswritingthatisfullofexaggeratedliteraryeffectsandornamentation.LeonardodaVincibelievedthatthepowerofmeditationincreases10timeswhendoneinapurplelight,asinthepurplelightofstainedglass.Purpleinachild'sroomissaidtohelpdeveloptheimaginationaccordingtocolortheory.RichardWagnercomposedhisoperasinaroomwithshadesofviolet,hiscolorofinspiration.YellowInEgyptandBurma,yellowsignifiesmourning.InSpain,executionersonceworeyellow.InIndia,yellowisthesymbolforamerchantorfarmer.Intenth-centuryFrance,thedoorsoftraitorsandcriminalswerepaintedyellow.HindusinIndiawearyellowtocelebratethefestivalofspring.Ifsomeoneissaidtohavea“yellowstreak,”thatpersonisconsideredacoward.InJapanduringtheWarofDynastyin1357,eachwarriorworeayellowchrysanthemumasapledgeofcourage.Ayellowribbonisasignofsupportforsoldiersatthefront.Yellowisasymbolofjealousyanddeceit.IntheMiddleAges,actorsportrayingthedeadinaplayworeyellow.Toholistichealers,yellowisthecolorofpeace.Yellowhasgoodvisibilityandisoftenusedasacolorofwarning.Itisalsoasymbolforquarantine,anareamarkedoffbecauseofdanger.“Yellowjournalism”referstoirresponsibleandalarmistreporting.WhiteAwhiteflagistheuniversalsymbolfortruce.WhitemeansmourninginChinaandJapan.Angelsareusuallydepictedwearingwhiterobes.TheancientGreeksworewhitetobedtoensurepleasantdreams.TheEgyptianpharaohsworewhitecrowns.TheancientPersiansbelievedallgodsworewhite.A“whiteelephant”isarare,paleelephantconsideredsacredtothepeopleofIndia,Thailand,Burma,andSriLanka;inthiscountry,itiseitherapossessionthatcostsmorethanitisworthtokeeporanitemthattheownerdoesn'twantbutcan'tgetridof.It'sconsideredgoodlucktobemarriedinawhitegarment.Whiteheatisastateofintenseenthusiasm,anger,devotion