green about the gills

Idioms  

1. Also, green around the gills. Looking ill or nauseated, as in After that bumpy ride she looked quite green about the gills. The use of green to describe an ailing person's complexion dates from about 1300, and gills has referred to the flesh around human jaws and ears since the 1600s. Although in the 1800s white and yellow were paired with gills to suggest illness, the alliterative green has survived them.

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Example Sentences

You want to keep going until the animal that is your bur­den—your tiger, your rhinoceros, whatever—is properly green about the gills with seasickness.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Some of us were "green about the gills," and some were trying to pretend we didn't care.

From At Suvla Bay Being the notes and sketches of scenes, characters and adventures of the Dardanelles campaign, made by John Hargrave ("White Fox") while serving with the 32nd field ambulance, X division, Mediterranean expeditionary force, during the great war. by Hargrave, John

"Torry does look a bit green about the gills," put in Whistler.

From Navy Boys Behind the Big Guns Sinking the German U-Boats by Owen, R. Emmett (Robert Emmett)

Roos was grinning when he climbed aboard, but still showed a tinge of green about the gills.

From Down the Columbia by Freeman, Lewis R. (Lewis Ransome)

You’re looking rather green about the gills, old chap.’

From A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir