greygrey1 British English, gray American English /ɡreɪ/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective 
an old lady with grey hair a grey skydark/light grey dark grey trousers → battleship grey, iron-grey, → slate grey at slate1(3)2hair having grey hairgo/turn grey She was a tall thin woman who had gone grey early.3face looking pale because you are tired, frightened, or illgrey with As he listened, his face went grey with shock.4boring boring and unattractive OPP colourful: the grey anonymous men in government offices visions of a grey and empty world5weather if the weather is grey, the sky is full of clouds and the sun is not bright OPP bright: a grey day6of old people [only before noun] British English connected with old people: the grey vote7grey area used to talk about a situation in which something is not clearly a particular thing, so that people are not sure how to deal with it: people in the grey area between loyalty and opposition to the government—greyness noun [uncountable]
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Conservatives have started to realize that they cannot take the grey vote for granted.
- It was a grey winter morning.
- the grey power movement in Britain
- A large grey stone mansion, surrounded by rhododendrons.
- A takeover was under way by the grey men and the only ones who survived it were the grey people.
- By the time he'd finished shifting the chairs, he was wearing grey gloves and a wig.
- He went over to the grey shapes that had been silently watching throughout.
- Immature grey on head and neck with smaller grey ear tufts.
- The grey tenements walled in the space completely.
THESAURUS
with a lot of clouds: · The weather was cold and cloudy.· cloudy skies
(also gray American English) grey in colour, because there are dark clouds – used especially in written descriptions: · Mary looked out at the cold grey sky.
dark and completely covered with clouds: · a chilly overcast day
literary a leaden sky is grey and full of dark clouds: · Snow fell from a leaden sky.
dark and cloudy, in a depressing way: · The gloomy weather shows no sign of improving.
with thick low cloud that is difficult to see through. You use foggy especially about low-lying places: · a foggy day in London in November
with light low cloud that is difficult to see through. You use misty especially about places that are next to water or in the mountains: · a cold misty morning
with air that looks cloudy, because there is smoke, dust, or mist in it: · hazy sunshine
a rainy period of time is one when it rains a lot: · a cold rainy day in October· The weather continued to be rainy.· The rainy season is in July.
rainy. Wet and rainymean the same and are used in the same way: · In Cyprus during the winter, you’ll only have the occasional wet day.· The wet weather is expected to continue.· another wet summer· It's been wet all week.
if the air feels damp, there is a lot of moisture in the air and it may be raining slightly: · It was a cold damp day.· a damp November morning
raining for short periods: · the cool, bright, showery weather of early April· The weather will be showery, with some sunny intervals.
raining slightly, with a lot of mist in the air: · The morning was grey and drizzly.
British English, gray American English if the sky is grey, there are a lot clouds, and it looks like it will rain: · The next morning, the sky was grey.· Then, as if by magic, the sun burst through what had until then been a rather grey day.
Longman Language Activatorrelating to old people: geriatric hospital/medicine/patient etc · Geriatric hospitals are often severely under-staffed.· The clinic specializes in geriatric medicine.
British used about the political or economic power of old people as a group: · the grey power movement in Britain · Conservatives have started to realize that they cannot take the grey vote for granted.
cloudy if the weather is cloudy , there are a lot of clouds in the sky: · You can still get sunburnt on a cloudy day.
if the weather is dull , it is cloudy and there is no sunshine: · It will be dry but dull this morning, with the possibility of showers later in the day.
also gray American especially written cloudy and not at all bright: · It was a grey winter morning.
if the sky is overcast , it is very cloudy and dark, and there will probably be rain: · The sky was overcast, and a light rain began to fall.
a white or grey mass in the sky that rain falls from: · There wasn't a single cloud in the sky.thick/dense cloud: · Dense cloud prevented the rescue helicopter from taking off.
thick cloudy air near the ground that is very difficult to see through: the fog: · I could just make out a dim figure coming towards me in the fog.patch of fog: · Watch out for patches of fog in low-lying areas.thick/dense fog: · Dense fog is making driving conditions difficult on many roads.the fog lifts/clears (=it goes away): · The fog has almost cleared - our plane will be able to take off soon
wet light cloud near the ground, which is difficult to see through clearly: · A light mist lay in the valley.· The mist along the river banks had gone by mid-morning.shrouded/veiled in mist (=be covered in mist): · From Primrose Hill, London looked like a ruined city shrouded in mist.
WORD SETSamber, nounamethyst, nounapricot, nounaquamarine, nounashen, adjectiveauburn, adjectiveazure, adjectivebar, nounbarred, adjectivebeige, nounblack, adjectiveblack, nounblack, verbblack and white, adjectiveblacken, verbbleed, verbblood-red, adjectiveblue, adjectiveblue, nounbluish, adjectivebold, adjectivebottle green, nounbrassy, adjectivebrindled, adjectivebronze, nounbronze, adjectivebrown, adjectivebrown, nounbuff, nounburgundy, nouncarmine, nouncarroty, adjectivecerise, nouncerulean, nounchartreuse, nouncherry, nounchestnut, nounchestnut, adjectivechromatic, adjectivechrome yellow, nounclaret, nounclear, adjectivecoffee, nouncool, adjectivecopper, nouncoral, adjectivecream, adjectivecreamy, adjectivecrimson, adjectivecyan, adjectivedappled, adjectivedapple-grey, nounDay-Glo, adjectivediscoloration, noundiscolour, verbdrab, adjectivedull, adjectivedun, noundusky, adjectivedye, verbebony, adjectivefawn, adjectiveflaxen, adjectiveflesh-coloured, adjectiveflorid, adjectivefluorescent, adjectiveflush, nounfuchsia, noungarish, adjectivegarnet, noungaudy, adjectivegay, adjectiveginger, adjectivegold, noungold, adjectivegolden, adjectivegray, green, adjectivegreen, noungreenish, adjectivegrey, adjectivegrey, noungreyish, adjectivehazel, adjectiveindigo, nouniridescent, adjectiveivory, nounjade, nounjet-black, adjectivekhaki, nounlavender, nounleaden, adjectivelemon, nounlilac, nounlily-white, adjectivelime green, nounlivid, adjectiveloud, adjectiveluminous, adjectivelurid, adjectivemagenta, nounmagnolia, nounmahogany, nounmaroon, nounmatch, nounmauve, nounmellow, adjectivemellow, verbmonochrome, adjectivemousy, adjectivemuddy, adjectivemulticoloured, adjectivemustard, nounmuted, adjectivenavy blue, adjectiveneutral, adjectiveochre, nounoff-white, nounolive, nounopalescent, adjectiveorange, nounpale, adjectivepastel, nounpastel, adjectivepeach, nounpea green, nounpearly, adjectivepepper-and-salt, adjectivepink, adjectivepink, nounpinkish, adjectiveplum, nounplum, adjectivepowder blue, nounprimary colour, nounprimrose, nounprismatic, adjectivepuce, adjectivepure, adjectivepurple, nounpurplish, adjectivered, adjectivered, nounredden, verbreddish, adjectiveredhead, nounrestrained, adjectiverich, adjectiverose, nounrose, adjectiveroseate, adjectiverose-coloured, adjectiverosy, adjectiveroyal blue, nounruby, nounruddy, adjectiverusset, nounsable, adjectivesaffron, nounscarlet, adjectivesepia, nounshade, nounshocking pink, nounsienna, nounsilver, nounsilver, adjectivesilvery, adjectivesky-blue, adjectivesnow-white, adjectivesnowy, adjectivesoft, adjectivesombre, adjectivesteely, adjectivetaupe, nountawny, adjectiveteal, nountint, nountint, verbtone, nounturquoise, nountwo-tone, adjectiveultramarine, nounumber, nounvermilion, nounvibrant, adjectiveviolet, nounwarm, adjectivewaxen, adjectiveweak, adjectivewhite, adjectivewhite, nounwhiten, verbwhitish, adjectiveyellow, adjectiveyellow, nounyellow, verbyellowy, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY dark grey trousers She was a tall thin woman who had gone grey early.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Her hair is starting to go grey. She had blue eyes and light brown hair.
dark grey trousers She was a tall thin woman who had gone grey early.· Black clouds usually mean rain.
· Both their children have blue eyes.
Her hair is starting to go grey. British English, gray American English· She was about 70, with grey hair.
(=with blonde etc hair)· I saw my son’s blond head sticking out from the car window.
She had blue eyes and light brown hair. British English, gray American English:· Rain was starting to fall from the grey sky.
· Black smoke poured out of the engine.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Nowhere is it easier to blackmail than in the criminal underworld and the grey areas of conduct that surround it.· Human beings can't live on grey areas for ever - unless it enters their soul.· Sometimes a contractual term lies in a grey area between the two.· There are far too many grey areas with endless different interpretations open to every side.· There were grey areas in what she had told him - or rather allowed him to believe.· But outside that grey area Mozart used strokes and dots deliberately for different purposes.· It was in negotiations concerning these core and grey areas that the major use of computers was made.· The judgment leaves a large grey area and much scope for argument.
· Grown men buckle under the fear that these relentless, dancing grey clouds bring.· But the very humiliation of being summoned turned the grey clouds over her veracity into a full thunderstorm.· Though the steady march of grey clouds, a tiny square of blue emerges.· The grey clouds that had prevailed that morning began to break up, promising a fine afternoon.· Wisps of high grey cloud scarcely moved behind the copper beech.· Having mated, grey clouds of females glide to the water, lay their eggs, and die.· Some say the sweat steamed from its back in small grey clouds.· The wind began to pick up strongly; dense grey clouds skidded across the sky.
· In his grey flannels and blue blazer-his full sovereign ring-Bob was the opposite of my father.· Both were wearing grey flannel trousers and pale beige or fawn linen jackets.· He still wore the grey flannel trousers, white shirt and maroon pullover of his school, but his feet were bare.· He was neatly dressed in his grey flannel school suit, as if it was an ordinary day.· Wearing a new sports jacket and grey flannels under his open raincoat.· Lawrence had already changed from his City clothes into a blazer and grey flannels.· Navy gaberdine trousers are reduced from £139 to £79 and grey flannel shirt-dresses from £159 to £99.· The very unattractive grey flannel trousers, who could guess at the legs they hid?
· But be careful, too much powder can make you look like an old granny with grey hair!· They were dressed in smart charcoal grey suits and had dark grey hair.· She dealt with a stray wisp of grey hair and pushed her hairpins firmly into place.· Perhaps I just imagined hearing her moaning a little in the night, and shaking splinters of glass out of her long grey hair.· The man who emerged was in his late fifties with short grey hair and round, wire-framed glasses.· Some were real scrambles and gave me hundreds of grey hairs.· This has ensured that the video is up to date, as well as giving me a few more grey hairs!
· As they approach London they let down through the shining white floor of cloud into a dull grey light.· They left the prison building in the grey light of dawn.· Through the curtains a soft grey light is creeping.· Sickness and pride, in the grey light of day, were set in his unchanging face like a mask.· There was a grey light and the grass was wet with dew.· A cold grey light made its way round the corners of the curtains and trickled into the room.· The roads were empty in the grey light, and she jumped traffic lights, making smart time.· Soon the youngest son emerged into the grey light of the winter land and came silently towards the totem.
· The little grey man and the living-room.· A grey man, thought Shamlou.· A takeover was under way by the grey men and the only ones who survived it were the grey people.· Thinking of them, I remembered the sad grey men and the sleek lawyers.· An underground company that isn't dominated by the grey men in suits.· He is a grey man in a grey suit.· The grey man scooped them into his briefcase and snapped it shut.· It's her father's fault, say the grey men of north Norfolk.
· Shares gained up to 24p in grey market trading.· Investment bankers say that grey markets allow short-selling that drives down a new issue's price.· What many merchant-bank objectors most dislike is that a grey market limits their freedom to price an issue as they want.· When Zeneca announced an issue price of 600p, its shares in the grey market shot to 680p.· On yesterday's new grey market, the shares rose from an issue price of 585p to 612p.
· She wondered if she could think with what was left of her grey matter.· Engineers have a good helping of functional grey matter with which to devise theories.· Some of that climber's grey matter has been revived and placed into a robot-climbing machine.· Could there be a more splendid way to get the grey matter working?· It just requires a little time and activity from the old grey matter.· While away those dark winter evenings and exercise the grey matter at the same time!· More grey matter, more grey suits, more grey faces.
· We saw dead volcanic lakes, grey under the grey sky.· Beyond the police cars and their orange barrier, smoke veined with flames smudged the grey sky.· Pouring rain and flat grey sky outside.· The rain stops and the grey skies begin to clear.· There was no definite horizon line and the castle seemed to be hanging in the grey sky like a mirage.· A monochrome landscape, grey under a low grey sky, its horizons blurred by a grey haze.· The countryside looked like some vision of hell; white, silent fields and black trees against a grey sky.· The towers of Manhattan seemed almost to be touching the cold grey sky.
· There was another Bentley outside the grey slate Gothic place with a smart yellow Cortina snuggling up against it.· The pink brick and grey slate was catching the dying rays of the sun.· It had a grey slate roof and one small chimney, and there were two little windows at the front.· A white cottage with a grey slate roof and a black chimney and a bright butter-yellow front door.· The grey slates and shales of the Silurian rock are obvious as you walk.
· In the woodland or amongst the ivy, grey squirrels are often found.· Poisoned wheat is put inside the holder which is designed to let in grey squirrels and exclude other small mammals.· Since grey squirrels are bigger than red squirrels, many of the male reds have stopped reproducing.· There was a grey squirrel nipping up and down a hazel tree near the stream.· The study claims that red squirrels have survived alongside grey squirrels for decades in forests in Norfolk and Staffordshire.· A grey squirrel, spry after its winter sleep, startled Ben by scampering across his path.· And Sophia said she had a grey squirrel fur coat too.· However, in some situations, grey squirrels seem to rely on spatial memory to retrieve nuts.
· Behind a grey stone wall lay a little pool.· Nicholson looked up at the grey stone building.· Somewhere in the middle lay the depression of grey stone houses.· I found an round grey stone, striped with white, but Dad said it was too small.· Opposite, the fields of the abbey stretched to its grey stone walls.· A large grey stone mansion, surrounded by rhododendrons.· A three-storeyed neo-classical frontage of immense length, the ground level is in grey stone, the upper storeys in pale ochre.· A massive, grey stone Victorian building, it housed over 1600 inmates, twice its allotted amount.
· They were dressed in smart charcoal grey suits and had dark grey hair.· I put on a dark grey suit with a fine stripe, a grey woollen tie and a soft white shirt.· The passenger was a short fat man in a grey suit.· Then, at lunchtime, Mrs Thatcher met a group of the so-called men in grey suits.· Dressed in a smart, grey suit and black tie, the former Beatle looked very happy.· She wore her corsage of violets and primroses pinned to the lapel of her grey suit.· One definitely has a grey suit underneath, and the other is probably the same.· An everyday grey suit cost me twelve pounds.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the grey pound
1colour having the colour of dark clouds, neither black nor white: - Human beings can't live on grey areas for ever - unless it enters their soul.
- It only remains to add that there is - damn it - a thin grey area between the two.
- Nowhere is it easier to blackmail than in the criminal underworld and the grey areas of conduct that surround it.
- Of course there's a grey area.
- Sometimes a contractual term lies in a grey area between the two.
- There are far too many grey areas with endless different interpretations open to every side.
- There is one type of appeal which falls in the grey area between review and supervision.
- There were grey areas in what she had told him - or rather allowed him to believe.
- An underground company that isn't dominated by the grey men in suits.
- And so did the other half-dozen men in suits standing around, fingering the silky negligees.
- Armies of worried men in suits stormed off the Lexington Avenue subway line and marched down the crooked pavements.
- For the rest, we saw only tyrants, technology and men in suits.
- Looking out, she saw men in suits getting into the medium-sized cars.
- Nor was she forced out by the men in grey suits - though intrigue played a major role.
- Then, at lunchtime, Mrs Thatcher met a group of the so-called men in grey suits.
- When he asked for Hugh Sixsmith at the desk, two men in suits climbed quickly from their chairs.
- By flaking off successive layers, the tree displays a bark of beige, cinnamon, lime green and slate blue.
- Immature has tail brown but throat white, with most of bill slate blue.
- Matching long-line briefs, £19, s, m, l, Also in classic navy and slate grey.
- Most remarkably it continued to function under California's midday sun, when it's slate grey shell was too hot hold!
- The falls of the flowers are a delicate yellowish green veined with slate blue.
- The sky past his profiled head had gone slate blue above a jagged paleness of snow.
- They were hard pin-points of slate blue beneath bushy eyebrows.
an old lady with grey hair a grey skydark/light grey dark grey trousers → battleship grey, iron-grey, → slate grey at slate1(3)2hair having grey hairgo/turn grey She was a tall thin woman who had gone grey early.3face looking pale because you are tired, frightened, or illgrey with As he listened, his face went grey with shock.4boring boring and unattractive OPP colourful: the grey anonymous men in government offices visions of a grey and empty world5weather if the weather is grey, the sky is full of clouds and the sun is not bright OPP bright: a grey day6of old people [only before noun] British English connected with old people: the grey vote7grey area used to talk about a situation in which something is not clearly a particular thing, so that people are not sure how to deal with it: people in the grey area between loyalty and opposition to the government—greyness noun [uncountable]