A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

red-foot • red-leg
red-foot—hatchet-bill (an American bird): Small and long-
winged, the male red-foot was indeed handsome.
red-leg —
1
. (U.S.) an artilleryman: Artillerymen are known
as “red legs” due to the red stripes traditionally worn on the
trousers of their dress uniforms. 2. a red-legged partridge or
a redshank: The red-legged partridge is not a native of this
country. In 
1
826 the red-legs were reported “now plentiful in
Suffolk.” 3. a bacterial disease of frogs: Since 
1
890, septicemic
frog disease (red-leg) has had a devastating effect on frogs kept
under laboratory conditions.
red hot peppers • red hots
red hot peppers —(also: Chili peppers) a pungent red pod of
the genus Capsicum: Add the juice of 
1
⁄
2
lemon, salt and a good
pinch of dried red hot peppers.
red hots —(U.S.)
1
. a type of small candy with a powerful
cinnamon flavor: Red Hots are perhaps the best known type
of spicy candy. 2. hotdogs, especially sold by street vendors:
Whether you call them hot dogs, red hots or frankfurters, try
some new recipe ideas.
red in the gills • rosy about the gills
red in the gills —getting red in the face, showing signs of
anger or indignation: While calling us round for punishment
he got as red in the gills as a turkey-cock.
rosy about the gills —having a fresh complexion (indicating
good health): Vladimir studied in the mirror the man behind
him. And at the same time he had the advantage of seeing his
own face, clean-shaved and rosy about the gills.
red liquor • red wine
red liquor —(Dyeing ) a substance used for fixing coloring
matters on stuffs: Red liquor is much more extensively em -
ployed as a mordant than any other preparation of alumina.
red wine —an alcoholic beverage produced from fermented
red (or black) grapes: When I take a bottle of red wine to a
restaurant, the waiter will ask if I want the bottle opened “so
the wine can breathe.”