blue

A1 · Beginner

adj. having the colour of the sky or sea.

adj. possessing a blue hue or tint.

“He wore a blue shirt that matched his eyes.”

“The architect specified blue tinted glass for the skyscraper to reflect the surrounding atmosphere.”

B1 · Intermediate Informal

adj. feeling sad, unhappy, or without hope.

adj. experiencing low spirits, melancholy, or mild depression.

“I was feeling a bit blue after my best friend moved away.”

“Despite the festive atmosphere, he couldn't help feeling blue on the anniversary of his father's passing.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Politics

adj. related to a specific political party, like the Democrats in the US or Conservatives in the UK.

adj. pertaining to a political party represented by the colour blue; usage varies by country.

“California is known as a blue state in American presidential elections.”

“The candidate focused her campaign efforts on traditionally blue districts where voter turnout was expected to be high.”

C1 · Advanced Informal

adj. containing jokes or stories about sex that some people might find offensive.

adj. referring to content that is risqué, indecent, or contains profane language.

“The comedian was famous for his blue jokes that were only for adults.”

“The film was edited for television to remove the bluer segments of the dialogue that were deemed inappropriate for a general audience.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Literary

n. a poetic way to talk about the sky or the ocean.

n. a metonymic reference to the clear sky or the deep ocean.

“The eagle soared high up into the wide blue.”

“The sailors stared out into the endless blue, searching for any sign of land after weeks at sea.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Dialect · Informal

n. a fight, a loud argument, or a mistake.

n. a physical brawl, a heated verbal argument, or a significant blunder.

“The two players got into a blue on the field during the game.”

“A massive blue erupted outside the pub after the local team lost the grand final.”

C1 · Advanced Technical

v. to make something blue or to become blue.

v. to cause to become blue; to treat a surface so it takes on a blue tint.

Español:azular

“The cold weather blued his lips as he waited for the bus.”

“The craftsman carefully blued the steel barrels of the antique firearm to protect them from corrosion.”