paint the town red

1. To go carousing: “Arnie and a few of his buddies drove off in a big car Friday night and really painted the town red.”

Idioms and Phrases

Go on a spree, as in Whenever they go to New York they want to paint the town red. The precise allusion of this term is disputed. Some believe it refers to setting something on fire; others point to a vague association of the color red with violence. [Late 1800s]

Related Words

• honor 
• laud 
• observe 
• perform 
• praise 
• proclaim 
• revere