red 'ink

  • 1red ink — ˌred ˈink noun [uncountable] JOURNALISM FINANCE used to talk about financial difficulties that companies are experiencing: • The latest financial results from US computer companies are swimming in red ink, due to a slowdown in US sales. •… …

    Financial and business terms

  • 2red´-ink´ — red ink, 1. ink having a red color, used in bookkeeping for recording debit items and balances. 2. U.S., Figurative. financial loss; deficit: »Colleges battle red ink with a scattering of tuition fee hikes (Wall Street Journal). –red´ ink´,… …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 3red ink — financial losses, 1929, from the red ink traditionally used to indicate debits in accounts …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4red ink — n. [from the use of red ink to enter debits in account books] 1. a deficit or loss shown in the accounts of a bank, company, etc. 2. the condition of showing such a loss or deficit …

    English World dictionary

  • 5red ink — noun singular or uncount MAINLY JOURNALISM a situation in which you owe more money than you have …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 6red-ink — verb mark with red ink red ink the area that is restricted • Hypernyms: ↑ink • Verb Frames: Somebody s something * * * ˈ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ transitive verb Etymology: red ink …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 7red ink — n. debt; indebtedness as shown in red ink on a financial statement. □ There is too much red ink in my financial statement. □ Too much red ink and the company will collapse …

    Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • 8Red Ink — A slang term denoting a financial loss. When accountants make physical entries into a financial ledger, red ink is used to show a negative number. Black ink is used to show that a number is positive or profitable. Red as a color is often used in… …

    Investment dictionary

  • 9red ink —    a loss    In the olden days, black ink on a bank statement indicated a credit balance and red ink a debit:     As Telewest intended, this Bluewater stuff quite overwhelmed the red ink that washed through the company s results yesterday. {Daily …

    How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • 10red ink — noun Etymology: from the use of red ink in financial statements to indicate a loss Date: 1926 1. a business loss ; deficit 2. the condition of showing a business loss …

    New Collegiate Dictionary