How do you use "White as a sheet" in a sentence?

She went white as a sheet when she heard the news. You're white as a sheet—sit down. He came back from the meeting white as a sheet.

White as a sheet

Q: What does "White as a sheet" mean?

Very pale, usually from shock or illness. 'Going white as a sheet' means becoming extremely pale—blood draining from the face due to shock, fear, or illness. Visible sign that something's wrong. 'You've gone white as a sheet' is often followed by sitting down.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: Very pale, usually from shock or illness.

面色苍白，通常因为震惊或生病。

Muy pálido, normalmente por un susto o una enfermedad.

顔が真っ青、ショックや病気で血の気が引いた状態。

얼굴이 하얗게 질린, 보통 충격이나 병 때문에.

'Going white as a sheet' means becoming extremely pale—blood draining from the face due to shock, fear, or illness. Visible sign that something's wrong. 'You've gone white as a sheet' is often followed by sitting down.

「going white as a sheet」意思是变得极度苍白——因为震惊、恐惧或疾病导致脸上血色全无。是出了问题的明显迹象。「You've gone white as a sheet」之后通常会让人坐下来。

«Going white as a sheet» significa ponerse extremadamente pálido, la sangre se retira del rostro por un susto, miedo o enfermedad. Es una señal visible de que algo va mal. «You've gone white as a sheet» suele ir seguido de un «siéntate».

「going white as a sheet」は極度に顔が青ざめること——ショック、恐怖、病気で血の気が引く。何か問題があることの目に見えるサイン。「You've gone white as a sheet」の後に「座りなさい」と続くことが多い。

'Going white as a sheet'는 얼굴이 극도로 창백해지는 것으로, 충격, 공포, 또는 병으로 인해 얼굴에서 핏기가 사라지는 것을 뜻합니다. 뭔가 잘못되었다는 눈에 보이는 징후입니다. 'You've gone white as a sheet'라고 하면 보통 앉으라는 말이 뒤따릅니다.

Examples

She went white as a sheet when she heard the news.
她听到那个消息时脸色一下子变得煞白
Se quedó blanca como la cera al oír la noticia
「その知らせを聞いて彼女は顔が真っ青になった」
그 소식을 듣고 그녀는 얼굴이 하얗게 질렸어.
You're white as a sheet—sit down.
你脸色煞白，快坐下
Estás blanco como la pared, siéntate
「真っ青だよ、座って」
얼굴이 창백해—앉아.
He came back from the meeting white as a sheet.
他从会议上回来时脸色苍白
Volvió de la reunión blanco como el papel
「会議から真っ青な顔で戻ってきた」
회의에서 돌아온 그는 얼굴이 새하얗게 질려 있었어.

Pronunciation

/waɪt əz ə ʃiːt/

Usage Guide

Context: shock, illness, appearance

Tone: concerned, descriptive

✓ Do Say

White as a sheet
面如白纸
blanco como la cera
真っ青な顔
창백한 얼굴
Gone white as a sheet
脸色变得煞白
se ha quedado lívido
顔が真っ青になった
얼굴이 하얗게 질렸어

Common Mistakes

Sheet as in bedding, not paper

Origin & History

Simple simile comparing skin pallor to white bedsheets. Used for centuries to describe the visible effect of shock, fear, or illness on complexion.

Etymology: Simile: pallor compared to white sheets

First recorded: Traditional English idiom

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Universal expression

Regional notes: Universal English.

Variations

White as a sheetWhite as a ghost