green about the gills

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.

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.

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

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When at last the great white bird dropped back almost on the spot from which they had started,—the distinguishing feat of the Spanish ’plane,—he was almost a convert, though as Lester said, “a little green about the gills.”

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“Well, I can’t say, sir,” replied Mr Dicey, “but he looks ’orrible bad, all yellow and green about the gills, and fearful red round the eyes.

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Fancher, feeling rather green about the gills, returned the greeting.

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