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color

 - 9 dictionary results

col⋅or

  [kuhl-er]
Use color in a Sentence
–noun
1. the quality of an object or substance with respect to light reflected by the object, usually determined visually by measurement of hue, saturation, and brightness of the reflected light; saturation or chroma; hue.
2. the natural appearance of the skin, esp. of the face; complexion: She has a lovely color.
3. a ruddy complexion: The wind and sun had given color to the sailor's face.
4. a blush: His remarks brought the color to her face.
5. vivid or distinctive quality, as of a literary work: Melville's description of a whaling voyage is full of color.
6. details in description, customs, speech, habits, etc., of a place or period: The novel takes place in New Orleans and contains much local color.
7. something that is used for coloring; pigment; paint; tint; dye.
8. background information, as anecdotes about players or competitors or analyses of plays, strategy, or performance, given by a sportscaster to heighten interest in a sportscast.
9. colors,
a. any distinctive color or combination or pattern of colors, esp. of a badge, ribbon, uniform, or the like, worn or displayed as a symbol of or to identify allegiance to, membership in, or sponsorship by a school, group, or organization.
b. nature, viewpoint, or attitude; character; personality: His behavior in a crisis revealed his true colors.
c. a flag, ensign, etc., particularly the national flag.
d. U.S. Navy. the ceremony of hoisting the national flag at 8 a.m. and of lowering it at sunset.
10. skin complexion of a particular people or race, esp. when other than white: a man of color.
11. outward appearance or aspect; guise or show: It was a lie, but it had the color of the truth.
12. a pretext: She did it under the color of doing a good deed.
13. Painting. the general use or effect of the pigments in a picture.
14. Phonetics. timbre.
15. Chiefly Law. an apparent or prima facie right or ground: to hold possession under color of title.
16. Music. tone color.
17. a trace or particle of valuable mineral, esp. gold, as shown by washing auriferous gravel.
18. Physics. any of the labels red, green, or blue that designate the three states in which quarks are expected to exist, or any of the corresponding labels for antiquark states. Compare quantum chromodynamics, quark model.
19. Printing. the amount of ink used.
20. Heraldry. a tincture other than a fur or metal, usually including gules, azure, vert, sable, and purpure.
–adjective
21. involving, utilizing, yielding, or possessing color: a color TV.
–verb (used with object)
22. to give or apply color to; tinge; paint; dye: She colored her hair dark red.
23. to cause to appear different from the reality: In order to influence the jury, he colored his account of what had happened.
24. to give a special character or distinguishing quality to: His personal feelings color his writing.
–verb (used without object)
25. to take on or change color: The ocean colored at dawn.
26. to flush; blush: He colored when confronted with the incriminating evidence.
—Idioms
27. call to the colors, to summon for service in the armed forces: Thousands are being called to the colors.
28. change color,
a. to blush as from embarrassment.
b. to turn pale, as from fear: When he saw the size of his opponent, he changed color.
29. with flying colors. flying colors.
Also, especially British, colour.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME col(o)ur < AF (F couleur) < L colōr- (s. of color) hue

Related forms:
col⋅or⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
23. bias, twist.

Usage note:
See -or 1 .

color.

 
(in prescriptions) let it be colored.
Origin:
< L colōrētur
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To color
col·or   (kŭl'ər)   


(click for larger image in new window)
n.  

  1. That aspect of things that is caused by differing qualities of the light reflected or emitted by them, definable in terms of the observer or of the light, as:

    1. The appearance of objects or light sources described in terms of the individual's perception of them, involving hue, lightness, and saturation for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources.

    2. The characteristics of light by which the individual is made aware of objects or light sources through the receptors of the eye, described in terms of dominant wavelength, luminance, and purity.

    3. The general appearance of the skin; complexion.

    4. A ruddy complexion.

    5. A reddening of the face; a blush.

    6. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth.

    7. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion.

    8. Variety of expression.

    9. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

  2. A substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts a hue.

    1. The general appearance of the skin; complexion.

    2. A ruddy complexion.

    3. A reddening of the face; a blush.

    4. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth.

    5. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion.

    6. Variety of expression.

    7. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

  4. The skin pigmentation of a person not categorized as white.

  5. colors A flag or banner, as of a country or military unit.

  6. colors The salute made during the ceremony of raising or lowering a flag.

  7. colors A distinguishing symbol, badge, ribbon, or mark: the colors of a college.

  8. colors One's opinion or position: Stick to your colors.

  9. Character or nature. Often used in the plural: revealed their true colors.

    1. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth.

    2. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion.

    3. Variety of expression.

    4. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

    1. Variety of expression.

    2. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

  12. Traits of personality or behavior that attract interest.

  13. The use or effect of pigment in painting, as distinct from form.

  14. Music Quality of tone or timbre.

  15. Law A mere semblance of legal right.

  16. A particle or bit of gold found in auriferous gravel or sand.

  17. Physics A quantum characteristic of quarks that determines their role in the strong interaction.

v.   col·ored, col·or·ing, col·ors

v.   tr.

  1. To impart color to or change the color of.

    1. To give a distinctive character or quality to; modify. See Synonyms at bias.

    2. To exert an influence on; affect: The war colored the soldier's life.

    3. To misrepresent, especially by distortion or exaggeration: color the facts.

    4. To gloss over; excuse: a parent who colored the children's lies.

    1. To misrepresent, especially by distortion or exaggeration: color the facts.

    2. To gloss over; excuse: a parent who colored the children's lies.

v.   intr.

    1. To take on color.

    2. To change color.

  2. To become red in the face; blush.


[Middle English colour, from Old French, from Latin color; see kel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
col'or·er n.
Usage Note: Dissatisfaction with the implications of nonwhite as a racial label has doubtless contributed to the recent popularity of the term person of color and others, such as woman of color, with the same construction. In effect, person of color stands nonwhite on its head, substituting a positive for a negative. It is interesting that the almost exclusive association in American English of colored with Black does not carry over to terms formed with "of color," which are used inclusively of most groups other than those of European origin. See Usage Notes at colored, nonwhite.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

color 
c.1225, from O.Fr. colur, from L. color (acc. colorem) "color, hue," from Old L. colos, orig. "a covering" (akin to celare "to hide, conceal"), from PIE base *kel- "to cover, conceal" (see cell). O.E. words for "color" were hiw, bleo. The verb is from c.1300, earliest use is figurative. Colorful "interesting" is from 1889. Color-blind first recorded 1844. Colors "flag of a regiment or ship" is from 1590. Colored in reference to "non-white skin" dates from 1611. Coloring book is from 1931.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: col·or
Function: noun
: a legal claim to or appearance of a right or authority color to an act of self-defense> —usually used in the phrase under color of color of state law> color of warrant —W. Railroad LaFave and J. H. Israel>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: col·or
Variant: or chiefly British col·our /'k&l-&r/
Function: noun
1 a : a phenomenon of light(as red, brown, pink, or gray) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects b : the aspect of objects and light sources that may be described interms of hue, lightness, and saturation for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources c : a hue as contrasted with black, white, or gray
2 : complexion tint; especially : the tint characteristic of good health —color or chiefly British colour adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

color col·or (kŭl'ər)
n.

  1. That aspect of the appearance of objects and light sources that may be specified in terms of hue, lightness, and saturation.

  2. That portion of the visible electromagnetic spectrum specified in terms of wavelength, luminosity, and purity.

  3. The general appearance of the skin.

  4. The skin pigmentation of a person not classified as white.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Computing Dictionary

color
colour

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

color

In addition to the idiom beginning with color, also see false colors; horse of a different color; lend color to; look through rose-colored glasses; under false colors; with flying colors.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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