give a green light — to give permission or approval for something to proceed
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to give permission or approval for something to proceed
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɡɪv ə ɡriːn laɪt/
Example Sentences
- The CEO gave a green light to working from home in pajamas every Friday.
- After months of negotiations, the city council gave the green light to the new shopping mall.
- My wife gave me the green light to buy a motorcycle, but only after I promised to wear a helmet made of bubble wrap.
give a green light
VERB[/ɡɪv ə ɡriːn laɪt/]
to give permission or approval for something to proceed
The director nodded to give a green light to the new building project.
Green light shines bright, airplane takes flight!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase originated from traffic signal conventions, specifically the green light that indicates 'proceed' in vehicular traffic. Beginning in the 1940s, the metaphorical meaning expanded from its literal traffic context to represent general permission, approval, or authorization in broader contexts.
Breakdown
The expression combines 'green' (the permissive traffic signal color) + 'light' (the signal itself) to form a metaphorical idiom. The traffic signal meaning of 'proceed' was generalized to mean 'approval' or 'authorization' across non-traffic contexts.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The CEO gave a green light to working from home in pajamas every Friday.”
“After months of negotiations, the city council gave the green light to the new shopping mall.”
“My wife gave me the green light to buy a motorcycle, but only after I promised to wear a helmet made of bubble wrap.”
“The FDA gave the green light to the new vaccine after extensive clinical trials.”
📚Related Words
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