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color

n. · v. · adj.
US //ˈkəɫɝ// col·or
  1. 1 flags or symbols (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Military

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

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

    Example

    The soldiers proudly marched past the crowd carrying the regiment's colors.

    Example

    The athlete was honored to represent the national colors during the opening ceremony of the international games.

    Usage

    Usually plural in this sense.
  2. 2 to paint or draw (v.)
    A1 Beginner American English

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

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

    Example

    The children sat quietly on the floor and colored in their books.

    Example

    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.
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  1. 3 to blush (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English

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

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

    Example

    He began to color when the teacher praised his work in front of the class.

    Example

    She felt herself color slightly as the interviewer asked a particularly personal question about her previous employment.

    Usage

    Intransitive verb.
  2. 4 to influence (v.)
    C1 Advanced American English Formal

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

    to influence or distort a person's judgment or opinion.

    Example

    Don't let your past bad experiences color your opinion of all new people.

    Example

    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'.
  3. 5 not black and white (adj.)
    A2 Elementary American English

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

    possessing or displaying colors; not monochromatic.

    Example

    My grandparents remember when they saw their first color television.

    Example

    The archive contains both black-and-white sketches and full-color photographs of the original building site.

    Usage

    Usually placed before a noun.
Origin

From Middle English colour, color, borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur, from Old French colour, color, from Latin color. Doublet of couleur. Displaced English blee, Middle English blee (“color”), from Old English blēo. Also partially replaced Old English hīew (“color”) and its descendants (English hue), which is less often used in this sense. The spelling color was popularized in modern American English by Noah Webster, to match the spelling of the word's Latin etymon, and make all American spellings of the derivatives consistent (colorimeter, coloration, colorize, colorless, etc).

Word family
Idioms3 entries

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