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- DictionaryDo something until one is blue in the face
- ▪ put all one's efforts into doing something to no avail
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Exhausted from anger, strain, or other great effort. For example, You can argue until you're blue in the face, but I refuse to go. This expression alludes to the bluish skin color resulting from lack of oxygen, which presumably might result from talking until one was breathless. See also under talk one's arm off.
- I am blue in the face
To show signs of exhaustion or strain from lengthy or...
- Until you're blue in the face
For a great or unending length of time; until one has done...
- I am blue in the face
idiom. Add to word list. If you say or shout something until you are blue in the face, you are wasting your efforts because you will get no results: You can tell her to clean her room until you are blue in the face, but she won't do it. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Useless and futile. adrift. aimlessly. aimlessness. airy-fairy.
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Idiom: (until someone is) blue in the face: 1. to talk or argue for a very long time to try to persuade someone but it's useless because they won't do or agree with what you want
— I could've argued with my parents until I was blue in the facebut they'd still never let me go to the party. — I was blue in the facetrying to explain my position but the director simply wouldn't listen to other ideas. — I've explained to my daughter until I was blue in the facethat she cannot drive my car but as you can see, she won't take no fo...
More idioms will be added in the future so check back frequently or sign-up for my free newsletterto learn about new updates to my website. 1. Home Page 2. Idioms List 3. Idiom: blue in the face
Exhausted from anger, strain, or other great effort. For example, You can argue until you're blue in the face, but I refuse to go . This expression alludes to the bluish skin color resulting from lack of oxygen, which presumably might result from talking until one was breathless. See also under talk one's arm off .
Blue in the face. Usually in the form of doing something or other until blue in the face meaning putting in maximum effort to no avail, dates from the early 19th century and alludes to the colour of a person’s face when they are speechless due to extreme exhaustion or breathlessness.
