turn the air blue
Unleash profane tirades
To turn the air blue is to swear profusely or use extremely foul language, filling the atmosphere with obscenities: When he dropped the engine block on his foot, he turned the air blue.
The image suggests curse words so thick they visibly color the surrounding space.
Chiefly British.
- cussingUsing profane language
- swearVow or use profanity
- curseInvoked harm through words
- profanityVulgar or obscene speech
- expletiveProfane emotional utterance
vulgarity · obscenity · invective · foul language · outburst · choice words · swear like a trooper · slang · colloquialism · anger · lose one's temper · blow a gasket · figurative expression · taboo · frustration · rage · idiom · utterance
turn the air bluemind one's language
Control inappropriate speech
keep it clean · sugarcoat · mince words · watch one's tongue · watch one's mouth
turn the air bluekeep one's cool
Maintain emotional control
stay calm · keep a stiff upper lip · grin and bear it · count to ten · take a deep breath
turn, turns, turned, turning, turner, turners, aired, airing, airless