a blue-stocking [a woman who is more interested in learning and in academic care er than in marriage and bringing up children] Sentence: I don't want to go out w ith that blue stocking. She is only interested in books! whited sepulchre [innocent and pure in appearance, but dirty and corrupt within] to white-wash [to exonerate someone by ignoring the evidence against him] Senten ce: It's not good complaining to the Post Office about the telephone engineer. T hey will only white-wash him. a white elephant [a very big and useless possession which costs a lot of money t o maintain and may prove to be a source of financial ruin] Sentence: You have bo ught yourself a white elephant: this house is far too isolated. No one will stay here and the upkeep will ruin you. a white-collar worker [the professionals] in black and white [reduced to writing] Sentence: If you come to any agreement w ith him, be sure to get it in black and white; you can't trust him. black economy [that part of a country's economy which is carried on without the knowledge of the authorities for the purpose of avoiding tax] to be browned off [to be bored, disgruntled] Sentence: I am browned off with thi s place -- there's nothing to do. to grow grey [to remain in one's occupation for most of one's working life] a grey area [an indeterminate area between two branches of learning, not covered by either, a kind of intellectual no man's land] Sentence: Philosophy is the gr ey area between science and religion. a scarlet woman [a woman notorious for her many seductions of men; a whore] the silver screen - [the cinema] Sentence: Valentino was one of the earliest sta rs of the silver screen. a silver/silvery tongue - [eloquence, persuasiveness, and charm] born with a silver spoon in one's mouth - [born into a wealthy family, with all the advantages that can give a child] Sentence: I have to work for my living; I wasn't born like you with a silver spoon in my mouth. in one's element - [in the conditions best suited to a person's tastes or abilit ies, enjoying oneself enormously] Sentence: The sergeant-major is in his element drilling the young recruits. to vanish/disappear into thin air - [to disappear completely without leaving any trace] Sentence: We used to see a lot of your next-door neighbors, then one day , without any warning, they vanished into thin air. out of thin air - [out of nothing at all] Sentence: Where do you imagine I can f ind Php500,000 - out of thin air? I'm not a magician! to put on airs/give oneself airs - [to behave as if one were socially superior t o other people] Sentence: She had better not give herself airs when she comes to live with us. My wife won't like it. airy-fairy - [lofty and impractical] Sentence: Jean wouldn't have these airy-fai ry ideas if she had to work for a living.