# blue

/ˈbɫu/ (US) · /blˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blue
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the colour

noun · CEFR A1

the colour of the clear sky or the sea.

For teachers: the colour between green and violet in the visible spectrum; one of the primary additive colours.

- The artist used a bright blue for the sky in her painting.
- The deep blue of the Mediterranean was captured perfectly in the photographer's latest series of coastal landscapes.

### 2. colour description

adjective · CEFR A1

having the colour of the sky or sea.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. feeling sad

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

feeling sad, unhappy, or without hope.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. political affiliation

adjective · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 5. obscene or risqué

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

### 6. the sky or sea

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

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

For teachers: 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.

### 7. an argument or fight

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect · Informal

a fight, a loud argument, or a mistake.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Primarily used in Australian and New Zealand English.

Teaching tip: Learners should be aware this is highly regional; in most other dialects, 'blue' never means a fight.

### 8. to turn blue

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to make something blue or to become blue.

For teachers: to cause to become blue; to treat a surface so it takes on a blue tint.

- 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.

## Examples

- Her favorite color is blue.
- He painted the walls of his bedroom a calming shade of blue.
- The artist used various shades of blue to evoke a sense of deep melancholy and infinite space.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.