in the red

Idioms  

1. In debt, as in Joshua can't keep track of funds, so half the time his company is in the red. This expression alludes to the bookkeeping practice of marking debits in red ink and credits in black. It survives even in the age of computerized accounts. So does the antonym, in the black, for being financially solvent or out of debt, as in Bill was happy to say they were in the black. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

By then, Claudius was more than $1,000 in the red.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tokyo shed more than one percent along with Seoul, while Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta were also in the red.

From Barron's

Some came wrapped in the red and white opposition flag of Belarus.

From BBC

Friday’s trading gave a glimpse into those worries, with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 firmly in the red by mid-morning.

From Barron's

The videogame maker's stock closed in the red again Thursday, extending a losing streak that has shaved off more than $12 billion off its market value and pushed shares to seven-month lows.

From MarketWatch