red under the bed

English

Etymology

From red (meaning communist) and the traditional child's fear of a monster lurking under the bed.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Noun

red under the bed (plural reds under the bed or reds under the beds)

1. (slang) An insidious communist presence; a communist who has infiltrated capitalist society.

Usage notes

This term is most commonly encountered in the plural, and tends to be used in a tongue-in-cheek or ironic manner.