yellow brick road
A path believed to lead to success or adventure. A reference to the path of the same name in the fictional land of Oz, popularized by the film The Wizard of Oz, based on the works of L. Frank Baum. Jenna took the internship thinking that it would be the yellow brick road to her dream job.
yellow dog
A despicable person or thing. I can't believe you get so invested in these debates—all politicians are yellow dogs that can't be trusted.
yellow grease
Used cooking oil, often in the fast food industry. A: "What are those huge containers for?" B: "Oh, I think they hold the restaurant's yellow grease."
yellow light
An indication to slow down, likened to a yellow traffic light, which means slow down, proceed with caution, or prepare to stop. I would not ask her out yet, dude—she was totally giving you the yellow light. Sally took the comments from her teacher as a yellow light not to push for extra credit just yet.
yellow press
Journalism with the primary aim of sparking reader interest—reporting the facts are secondary. I can't believe you read those tabloids—they're just yellow press stuffed with ads.
yellow state
A US state strongly influenced by the Libertarian Party. This will never be a yellow state—the Libertarians are just not as entrenched here as the Democrats and Republicans.
yellow cake
1. A spongy cake that is yellow in color, due to the use of egg yolks. It is often frosted and served at birthday parties. Do we have any yellow cake mix? I think I want a yellow cake for my birthday—I'm not in the mood for chocolate right now.
2. Uranium oxide powder that is produced by the milling of uranium ore. Often spelled as one word. Yellowcake can be used in the making of nuclear weapons, so its trade is heavily scrutinized.