Rules of Thumb

IT’S NOT THAT EASY BEING GREEN

And so, you think you know what green is, right ?

- "It's a color!" you say. "The color of grass and emeralds and little, round peas, and long, thin string beans!"

- Okay, that is true. Green is all those things. But green is also SO MUCH MORE! Here are some uses of green you might not know:

green - inexperienced (as in green like a young tree)
e.g. - I think he's too green to bear this kind of responsibility, but his boss wants him as a manager.

green - not ripe (describes fruit)
e.g. - These papayas are still green. You'll have to wait for a couple of days to eat them.

green - concerned about the environment.
e.g. - More and more people are becoming green: they are recycling and looking for ways to get rid of waste that don't pollute the land, water and air.

greens - leafy, dark green vegetables such as spinach and kale.
e.g. - Kids don't like to eat greens. They prefer ice cream and candies.

Green Expressions
to have a green thumb - to be good at growing plants.
e.g. - My wife has a green thumb, and I sure don't.

to be green with envy - to be jealous of something someone else has.
e.g. - When Helen was given a pay increase, her friend Martha was green with envy.

to give the green light to something/someone - to say that a project can proceed; to say yes to a plan.
e.g. - Bob’s last project went so well that the boss gave him the green light immediately.

Green Things
Green card – official permission for a foreigner to work and live in the USA.
Greenhouse – glass building where plants are grown all year round.