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)
- (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.