Green

[Wispy68]

Why is a person who is new to something referred to as being 'green'?

[Quizmonster]

Many plants, fruits etc are green-coloured in the early stages of their growth, but then take on different colours when ripe. Accordingly, 'green' came to be applied to people, too, who were still 'unripe' in terms of the thing being discussed.

[Octavius]

QM is right of course (as usual). Green is used in both good and bad context, much like being green can mean new to the job, but also to be jealous, som others:

Good green
Green light - go, permission to proceed (with a task)
The green room - in theater or televisions it is the room where performers and guests go to relax
Green fingers - good with plants
Greenback - US dollar bill, money
Greener pastures - something newer or better (or perceived to be better), such as a new job

Bad green
Green-eyed monster - jealosy
Green with envy - jealous or envious
Green - inexperienced, untested, untrained
Greenhorn - novice, trainee, beginner
Green around the gills - pale, sickly

[Wispy68]

Thank you very much Quizmonster and Octavius for your answers.

The only other 'greens' I had thought of were jealousy, envy and sickly.

Thanks again!

[greenfingers]

Shakespeares Anthony and Cleopatra.

Cleopatra says about her youthful dalliance with caesar ' My salad days when I was green in judgement'.

[Quizmonster]

"Unlearned and raw or green in cunning" is a quote from Udall dated 1548, before Shakespeare was born and the earliest recorded use of the word in this way in English.