# color

/ˈkəɫɝ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/color
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 4. flags or symbols

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the specific flag or symbols of a country, a military group, or a sports team.

For teachers: the flag, insignia, or uniform colors identifying a country, military unit, or sports club.

- The soldiers proudly marched past the crowd carrying the regiment's colors.
- The athlete was honored to represent the national colors during the opening ceremony of the international games.

Usage: Usually plural in this sense.

### 5. to paint or draw

verb · CEFR A1 · American English

to use pens, pencils, or paint to add color to a drawing.

For teachers: to apply color to a surface, especially within the lines of a drawing.

- The children sat quietly on the floor and colored in their books.
- She carefully colored the map, using different shades of green to distinguish the various forest types.

Usage: Can be used with or without a direct object.

### 6. to blush

verb · CEFR B2 · American English

to become red in the face because you are embarrassed or angry.

For teachers: to become flushed or red in the face due to an emotional reaction.

- He began to color when the teacher praised his work in front of the class.
- She felt herself color slightly as the interviewer asked a particularly personal question about her previous employment.

Usage: Intransitive verb.

### 7. to influence

verb · CEFR C1 · American English · Formal

to change the way someone thinks about something, often in a negative way.

For teachers: to influence or distort a person's judgment or opinion.

- Don't let your past bad experiences color your opinion of all new people.
- The witness's testimony was unfortunately colored by her personal dislike of the defendant, making her account less reliable.

Usage: Transitive; usually takes an abstract object like 'judgment' or 'view'.

### 8. not black and white

adjective · CEFR A2 · American English

showing colors rather than just black, white, and gray.

For teachers: possessing or displaying colors; not monochromatic.

- My grandparents remember when they saw their first color television.
- The archive contains both black-and-white sketches and full-color photographs of the original building site.

Usage: Usually placed before a noun.

## Examples

- My favorite color is blue.
- The artist chose a bright red color to make the flowers stand out against the dark background.
- While the technical specifications of the monitor are impressive, the actual depth of color it produces is what truly distinguishes it from cheaper consumer models.

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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.