Idiom
In the red
If a business or person is in the red, they are losing money or owe more than they have.
How people use it
You will hear it about companies, budgets, events and bank accounts: "The festival ended up in the red," "My account went into the red." Common verbs are be, go, slip, stay and operate in the red. The opposite is in the black, meaning profitable. It describes money, not a mood, so don't confuse it with seeing red, which means becoming very angry. The tone is neutral and works in news, business writing and everyday talk.
Also said: go into the red.
Examples
- The new restaurant stayed in the red for its first eighteen months.
- If I buy that concert ticket, my checking account will be in the red until payday.
- The club's budget went into the red after the bus repairs cost twice the estimate.
Where it comes from
It comes from old accounting practice. Bookkeepers wrote losses and debts in red ink and profits in black, so red figures in a ledger were a warning sign. The phrase was in common use in the US by the 1920s, and red still signals losses on charts and banking apps today.
Check yourself
1. What does it mean if your account is in the red?
Answer: You owe more money than you have. In the red means in debt or losing money.
2. What is the opposite of in the red?
Answer: In the black. In the black means making a profit, the opposite of being in the red.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in RED.