colour also (esp N American) color /kulˈər/

1. A sensation of light induced in the eye by electromagnetic waves of a certain frequency, the colour being determined by the frequency
2. A property whereby bodies have different appearances to the eye through surface reflection or absorption of rays
3. Hue, one of the constituents into which white light can be decomposed
4. Appearance of blood in the face
5. Race or race-mixture other than Caucasian
6. Appearance
7. Plausibility
8. Reason, pretext
9. Tint
10. Shade
11. Paint
12. Vividness
13. Timbre (music)
14. Variety
15. (in sing or pl; often with cap) a flag, ensign or standard
16. (in pl) a symbol of membership of a party, club, college, team, etc
17. (in particle physics) any of six varieties of a particular characteristic of quarks and antiquarks, used to define possible combinations of these particles in baryons and mesons

1. To put colour on
2. To stain
3. To paint
4. To set in a favourable light
5. To exaggerate
6. To disguise
7. To misrepresent, distort

1. To take on colour
2. To blush

colˈorant or colˈourant noun

A substance used for colouring

colorāˈtion or colourāˈtion noun

1. Colouring
2. Mode of colouring
3. Disposition of colours

colorifˈic /kol- or kul-/ adjective

Producing colours

colorimˈeter /kol- or kul-/ noun

An instrument for comparison of colours

colorimetˈric adjective

colorimˈetry noun

colourable /kulˈ/ adjective

1. Capable of being coloured
2. Plausible
3. Feigned

colˈourably adverb

colˈoured adjective

1. Having colour
2. Having a specious appearance, deceitful (obsolete)
3. (of the complexion) other than white
4. Loosely, belonging to a dark-skinned race (often derogatory)
5. (usu with cap) in South Africa, of mixed racial descent, partly Caucasian, partly of darker race
6. (also with cap) in South Africa, of one of the official racial groups, neither white nor African
7. Not of Caucasian race

1. (usu with cap) in South Africa, a person of mixed racial descent
2. (also with cap) in South Africa, a member of one of the official racial groups, one who is neither white nor African
3. (in pl) coloured items of clothing for washing, opp to whites

colˈourer noun

colˈourful adjective

1. Full of or having colour
2. Vivid
3. (of language) full of swear-words

colˈourfully adverb

colˈourfulness noun

colˈouring noun

1. Any substance used to give colour
2. The actual colours of anything, and their arrangement
3. Manner of applying colours
4. Appearance, esp a person's hair and skin colour
5. Tone

colˈourist noun

1. A person who colours or paints
2. A person who excels in colouring or painting with colour

colouristˈic adjective

colourīzāˈtion or colourīsāˈtion noun

colˈourize or colˈourise transitive verb

To add colour to (a film made in black and white)

colˈourless adjective

1. Without colour
2. Transparent
3. Pale
4. Neutral
5. Lacking distinctive character

colˈourlessly adverb

colˈoury adjective

Having much colour

colour bar noun

Social discrimination esp by whites against other races

colˈour-blind adjective

1. Unable to distinguish some colours from others
2. Not discriminating between people on the basis of skin colour or race

colour blindness noun

colour code noun

A system of identification, eg of electrical wires, by different colours

colˈour-code transitive verb

To mark with different colours for identification

colour contamination noun (image technol)

A fault in colour reproduction caused by incomplete separation of primary colours

colour contrast noun

The perceived change in a colour when surrounded by another colour, used in psychology and tests for colour blindness

colour correction noun

In colour printing, compensation either by hand, by colour masking, or electronically, for inherent faults of the printing inks available

coloured pencil noun

One containing a coloured lead as distinct from graphite or blacklead

colˈourfast adjective

(of material, etc) with colours that are resistant to change when exposed to water, light or rubbing

colour fastness noun

colour film noun

A film for producing colour photographs

colour filter noun (photography)

A transparent material, usu coloured glass or gelatin, used to modify the light transmitted through a camera's lens, by absorbing or transmitting selectively certain colours or wavelengths

colour hearing noun

The association of colours with sounds heard

colour index noun

1. The difference between the photographic and visual magnitudes of a star used to calculate its temperature (astronomy)
2. A number representing the dark-coloured heavy silicates in an igneous rock (geology)
3. A systematic arrangement of colours according to their hue, saturation and brightness or an index giving chemical compositions of dyes and pigments

colour line noun

A social and political separation between white and other races

colˈourman noun

A person who prepares or sells paints

colour masking noun

In photographic colour reproduction, the use of additional images to compensate for the deficiencies of the dyes forming the principal colour records

colour music noun

The art of displaying colours on a screen with effect analogous to music

colour organ noun

An instrument for doing this

colour party or colour guard noun

A military guard carrying a flag or colours

colour phase noun

Any seasonal or abnormal variation in the coloration of an animal

colˈourpoint noun

A Persian cat that has been crossed to achieve the colouring of a Siamese

colour reversal noun (photography)

A process in which the negative image in the respective colour layers is reversed to give a positive transparency

colour scheme noun

A planned combination of colours in a design or interior decoration

colour screen noun

A colour filter

colˈour-sergeant noun

A non-commissioned officer, orig responsible for guarding the Colours of a regiment

colour subcarrier noun

In colour television, a signal conveying the colour or chrominance information as a modulation, added to the monochrome video and synchronizing signals

colour supplement or colour magazine noun

An illustrated magazine printed in colour and published usu as a part of a weekly newspaper (also (informal) colˈour-sup, colˈour-supp or colˈour-mag)

adjective

Of a style often pictured in such a magazine, ie expensive and rather exclusive

colour temperature noun (physics)

That temperature of a black body that radiates with the same dominant wavelengths as those apparent from a source being described or considered

colour therapy noun

The therapeutic use, both psychologically and physically, of coloured light and of appropriate colours generally

colour threshold noun

The luminance level below which colour differences are indiscernible

colˈourwash noun

A cheap form of distemper coating

transitive verb

To paint with this

colˈourway noun

One of several combinations of colours in which eg a patterned fabric is available

colour wheel noun

A disc having coloured segments showing the relationship between colours

colour a pipe

To cause a pipe, esp a meerschaum, to darken by smoking

colour in

To fill in an area on a piece of paper, etc with colour

colour up

To blush, flush

false colours

A false pretence

fear no colours

To fear no enemy

give or lend colour

To give plausibility

high colour

Ruddiness of complexion

join the colours

To enlist

lose colour

1. To lose one's good looks
2. To become pale
3. To appear less probable (figurative)

nail one's colours to the mast

To commit oneself to some party or plan of action

off colour

1. Faded
2. Unwell
3. Past one's best
4. Slightly indecent

one's true colours

As one really is, one's real character

pair of colours see under pair¹

primary colours see under primary

see the colour of a person's money

To be sure that a person has sufficient money to pay before agreeing to a transaction

under colour of

Under the pretext of

with flying colours

With distinction or brilliance

• think over
• think piece
• think pieces
• thinks
• think scorn of
• think shame
• think tank
• think tanks
• think the world of
• think through
• think twice
• think up
• think well of
• think with
• thinly
• thinned
• thinner
• thinners
• thinness
• thinnesses
• thinnest
• thinning
• thinnings
• thinnish
• thin on the ground