Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense colours, present participle colouring, past tense, past participle colouredregional note: in AM, use color
1. countable noun
The colour of something is the appearance that it has as a result of the way in which it reflectslight. Red, blue, and green are colours.
'What colour is the car?'—'Red.'.
Her silk dress was sky-blue, the colour of her eyes.
Judi's favourite colour is pink.
The badges come in twenty different colours and shapes.
Synonyms: hue, tone, shade, tint More Synonyms of colour
2. variable noun
A colour is a substance you use to give something a particular colour. Dyes and make-up are sometimes referred to as colours.
...The Body Shop Herbal Hair Colour.
It is better to avoid all food colours.
...the latest lip and eye colours.
Synonyms: paint, stain, dye, tint More Synonyms of colour
3. verb
If you colour something, you use something such as dyes or paint to change its colour.
Many women begin colouring their hair in their mid-30s. [VERB noun]
We'd been making cakes and colouring the posters. [VERB noun]
The petals can be cooked with rice to colour it yellow. [V n colour]
Synonyms: tint, stain, dye More Synonyms of colour
colouringuncountable noun
They could not afford to spoil those maps by careless colouring.
4. verb
If someone colours, their face becomes redder than it normally is, usually because they are embarrassed.
Andrew couldn't help noticing that she coloured slightly. [VERB]
Synonyms: blush, flush, crimson, redden More Synonyms of colour
5. countable noun [usually singular, oft poss NOUN]
Someone's colour is the colour of their skin. People often use colour in this way to refer to a person's race.
[politeness]
I don't care what colour she is.
He acknowledged that Mr Taylor's colour and ethnic origins were utterly irrelevantin the circumstances.
6. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A colour photograph, picture, or film is one that shows things in all their colours, and not just in black, white, and grey.
There was a colour photo of me in the newspaper.
7. uncountable noun
Colour is a quality that makes something especially interesting or exciting.
She had resumed the travel necessary to add depth and colour to her novels.
8. See also local colour
9. verb
If something colours your opinion, it affects the way that you think about something.
The attitude of the parents must colour the way children approach school. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: influence, affect, prejudice, distort More Synonyms of colour
10. plural noun
A country's national colours are the colours of its national flag.
The Opera House is decorated with the Hungarian national colours: green, red andwhite.
11. plural noun
People sometimes refer to the flag of a particular part of an army, navy, or air force, or the flag of a particular country as its colours.
Troops raised the country's colors in a special ceremony.
...the battalion's colours.
12. plural noun
A sports team's colours are the colours of the clothes they wear when they play.
I was wearing the team's colours.
13. See also coloured, colouring
14.
See with flying colours
15.
See in colour
16.
See to nail your colours to the mast
17.
See to nail your colours to someone's mast
18.
See to see the colour of someone's money
19.
See of colour
20.
See true colours
Phrasal verbs:
See colour in
More Synonyms of colour
colour in British English
or US color (ˈkʌlə)
noun
1.
a.
an attribute of things that results from the light they reflect, transmit, or emit in so far as this light causes a visual sensation that depends on its wavelengths
b.
the aspect of visual perception by which an observer recognizes this attribute
c.
the quality of the light producing this aspect of visual perception
d.
(as modifier)
colour vision
2. Also called: chromatic colour
a.
a colour, such as red or green, that possesses hue, as opposed to achromatic colours such as white or black
b.
(as modifier)
a colour film
Compare black-and-white (sense 2)
3.
a substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts colour to something
4.
a.
the skin complexion of a person, esp as determined by race
b.
(as modifier)
colour prejudice
5.
the use of all the hues in painting as distinct from composition, form, and light and shade
6.
the quantity and quality of ink used in a printing process
7.
the distinctive tone of a musical sound; timbre
8.
vividness, authenticity, or individuality
period colour
9.
semblance or pretext (esp in the phrases take on a different colour, under colour of)
10. US
a precious mineral particle, esp gold, found in auriferous gravel
11. physics
one of three characteristics of quarks, designated red, blue, or green, but having no relationship with the physical sensation
12. of colour
verb
13.
to give or apply colour to (something)
14. (transitive)
to give a convincing or plausible appearance to (something, esp to that which is spoken or recounted)
to colour an alibi
15. (transitive)
to influence or distort (something, esp a report or opinion)
anger coloured her judgment
16. (intransitive; often foll byup)
to become red in the face, esp when embarrassed or annoyed
17. (intransitive)
(esp of ripening fruit) to change hue
Word origin
C13: from Old French colour from Latin color tint, hue
colour in American English
(ˈkʌlər)
noun, verb transitive, verb intransitive
British
color
More idioms containing
colour
the colour of someone's money
Examples of 'colour' in a sentence
colour
It will just have less colour and texture.
The Sun (2017)
You can be one colour this week and another colour the next.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Bring your pages to life with bright colours.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Apply the dark colour underneath your cheekbones and the paler highlighter on top.
The Sun (2016)
Her use of colour is informed by her early studies in textiles.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Increasingly used in blends to add colour and flavour to cakes and muffins.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You write about colours being a way to set a mood.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Red may be a daring colour but the dress is smart enough to take you from desk to drinks.
The Sun (2016)
You could see instantly he was gone by the look in his eyes and the colour of his gums.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
When the plants were placed in bright light, their blue colour slowly disappeared.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What you wear with your colour can be just as important.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Pick one colour and make your accessories match.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The bright green colour and fresh vivacious flavours fade fast.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You simply apply the colour straight to the nail and then finish with the special top coat.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Red is the colour of the sofa we are sitting on and the table.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Why not buy or beg some different colour forms?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You have as much chance of changing this as you would changing your eye colour.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Luck walks into your family life wearing your favourite team colours.
The Sun (2008)
This spring a splash of colour will add oomph to your knicker drawer.
The Sun (2015)
This gives your lippy something to hold on to and stops your natural lip colour peeking through.
The Sun (2013)
There is no single ideal way of combining colours.
Freeman, Michael Photographers Handbook (1993)
Wonder what colour scheme she might be thinking of?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Of course those things colour my perception of life.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The colour of food has a powerful effect on how we think it tastes.
The Sun (2013)
These were promptly accepted on condition that they made full use of the colour range.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Who would look at a painting when a graphic colour photograph was available?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We will be playing in the colour of our flag.
Richard Bath Notorious: The Maddest and Baddest Sportsmen on the Planet (2006)
They are all the same colour now.
Tepper, Sheri S. A Plague of Angels (1993)
Apply lightly for a sheer shimmer or layer it on generously for an opaque icy blue colour to brighten eyes.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Jackets in the bright national colours.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It takes place against a backdrop of ominous skies, with the ensemble dressed in flame colour.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
These films prove that colour doesn't mean anything to the public.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This pigment also gives the red colour to fruits, such as apples.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
colour
British English: colour /ˈkʌlə/ NOUN
The colour of something is the appearance that it has as a result of reflecting light. Red, blue, and green are colours.
What colour is the car?
American English: color
Arabic: لَوْن
Brazilian Portuguese: cor
Chinese: 颜色
Croatian: boja
Czech: barva
Danish: farve
Dutch: kleur
European Spanish: color
Finnish: väri
French: couleur
German: Farbe
Greek: χρώμα
Italian: colore
Japanese: 色
Korean: 색
Norwegian: farge
Polish: kolor
European Portuguese: cor
Romanian: culoare
Russian: цвет
Latin American Spanish: color
Swedish: färg
Thai: สี
Turkish: renk
Ukrainian: колір
Vietnamese: màu sắc
All related terms of 'colour'
colour in
If you colour in a drawing , you give it different colours using crayons or paints .
in colour
If a film or television programme is in colour , it has been made so that you see the picture in all its colours, and not just in black, white, or grey .
of colour
People of colour are people who belong to a race with dark skins.
r-colour
an ( r ) quality imparted to certain vowels , usually by retroflexion
body colour
a painting technique using opaque watercolour paint in which the pigments are bound with glue and the lighter tones contain white
colour bar
discrimination against people of a different race, esp as practised by White people against Black people
colour code
a system of easily distinguishable colours , as for the identification of electrical wires or resistors
colour film
a film for use in cameras that produces coloured pictures
colour line
the social separation of racial groups within a community (esp in the phrase to cross the colour line )
eye colour
the colour of a person's eyes
film colour
a misty appearance produced when no lines or edges are present in the visual field
four-colour
(of a print or photographic process) using the principle in which four colours ( magenta , cyan , yellow, and black) are used in combination to produce almost any other colour
hair colour
the colour or shade of someone's hair
off colour
If you say that you are feeling off-colour , you mean that you are slightly ill.
skin colour
the colour of a person's skin , ie Black , White, etc
tone colour
the quality of a musical sound that is conditioned or distinguished by the upper partials or overtones present in it
colour-blind
Someone who is colour-blind cannot see the difference between colours, especially between red and green .
colour camera
a camera that takes colour photographs
colour chart
a chart with samples of paint colours
colour-coded
Things that are colour-coded use colours to represent different features or functions.
colour filter
a thin layer of coloured gelatine , glass , etc, that transmits light of certain colours or wavelengths but considerably reduces the transmission of others
colour guard
a military guard in a parade , ceremony , etc, that carries and escorts the flag or regimental colours
colour index
the difference between the apparent magnitude of a star measured in one standard waveband and in a longer standard waveband, indicating its colour and temperature
colour phase
a seasonal change in the coloration of some animals
colour scheme
In a room or house, the colour scheme is the way in which colours have been used to decorate it.
colour slide
a colour transparency
cross colour
distortion in a colour television receiver in which high-frequency luminance detail is interpreted as colour information and reproduced as flashes of spurious colour
earth colour
any of various brown pigments composed chiefly of iron oxides
false colour
colour used in a computer or photographic display to help in interpreting the image , as in the use of red to show high temperatures and blue to show low temperatures in an infrared image converter
flesh colour
of a yellowish-pink to yellowish-grey colour roughly that of the skin of a white person
ground colour
a colour on which other colours are superimposed to create a pattern
local colour
Local colour is used to refer to customs , traditions , dress , and other things which give a place or period of history its own particular character .
pseudo-colour
an artificial colour
three-colour
of, relating to, or comprising a colour print or a photomechanical process in which a picture is reproduced by superimposing three prints from half-tone plates in inks corresponding to the three primary colours
colour contrast
the change in the appearance of a colour surrounded by another colour; for example, grey looks bluish if surrounded by yellow
colour printer
a printer that prints in colour on paper
colour-reversal
(of film or photographic paper ) designed to produce a positive image directly from a positive subject
colour sergeant
a sergeant who carries the regimental, battalion , or national colours, as in a colour guard
primary colour
Primary colours are basic colours that can be mixed together to produce other colours. They are usually considered to be red, yellow, blue, and sometimes green.
process colour
any of the four colours ( cyan , magenta , yellow, and black) used in process printing
startle colour
a bright region of an animal's coloration , normally hidden from view and often part of a design resembling birds' eyes, etc, exposed when the animal is disturbed by a predator
tertiary colour
a colour formed by mixing a primary and a secondary colour or two secondary colours
achromatic colour
colour, such as white, black , and grey , that is devoid of hue
chromatic colour
an attribute of things that results from the light they reflect , transmit , or emit in so far as this light causes a visual sensation that depends on its wavelengths
colour combination
A combination of things is a mixture of them.
colour commentator
a sports celebrity who works as part of a commentary team
colour photograph
a photograph that is developed and printed in colour
colour photography
the art or process of taking and developing photographs in colour
colour separation
the division of a coloured original into cyan , magenta , yellow, and black so that plates may be made for print reproduction . Separation may be achieved by electronic scanning or by photographic techniques using filters to isolate each colour
colour subcarrier
a component of a colour television signal on which is modulated the colour or chrominance information
Chinese translation of 'colour'
colour
or (US) color
(ˈkʌləʳ)
n
(c)颜(顏)色 (yánsè) (种(種), zhǒng)
(c) (= skin colour) 肤(膚)色 (fūsè) (种(種), zhǒng)
⇒ South Africans of all colours各种肤色的南非人 (gèzhǒng fūsè de nánfēirén)
⇒ Does she colour her hair?她染头发吗？ (Tā rǎn tóufa ma?)
(= affect)[judgement, account]影响(響) (yǐngxiǎng)
vi
(= blush) 脸(臉)红(紅) (liǎnhóng)
cpd
[film, photograph, television]彩色 (cǎisè)
in colour[film, illustrations]彩色 (cǎisè)
All related terms of 'colour'
colour in
( picture ) 给(給) ... 着(著)色 gěi ... zhuósè
in colour
( film, illustrations ) 彩色 cǎisè
colour film
彩色胶(膠)卷 cǎisè jiāojuǎn
off-colour
( ill ) 身体(體)不舒服的 shēntǐ bù shūfu de
colour-blind
色盲的 sèmáng de
colour television
彩色电(電)视(視) cǎisè diànshì [ 台 tái ]
to blaze with colour
( garden etc ) 鲜(鮮)艳(豔)夺(奪)目 xiānyàn duómù
to feel off-colour
感觉(覺)不适(適) gǎnjué bùshì
the difference in size/colour
尺寸/颜(顏)色上的差异(異) chǐcùn/yánsè shang de chāyì
a riot of colour(s)
五彩缤(繽)纷(紛) wǔcǎi bīnfēn
1 (noun)
Definition
a colour, such as a red or green, that possesses hue, as opposed to black, white, or grey
The badges come in twenty different colours and shapes.
Synonyms
hue
The same hue will look different in different lights.
tone
Each brick also varies slightly in tone.
shade
The walls were painted in two shades of green.
tint
Its large leaves often show a delicate purple tint.
tinge
His skin had an unhealthy greyish tinge.
tincture
Her courtesy carried a tincture of disdain.
colourway
2 (noun)
Definition
a substance, such as a dye, that gives colour
the latest range of lip and eye colours
Synonyms
paint
a pot of red paint
stain
Give each surface two coats of stain.
dye
bottles of hair dye
tint
You've had a tint on your hair.
pigment
a wide range of natural pigments
tincture
coloration
colourwash
colorant
3 (noun)
Definition
the skin complexion of a person
His colour and ethnic origins are not the issue here.
Synonyms
skin colour
race
complexion
She had short brown hair and a pale complexion.
ethnicity
pigmentation
4 (noun)
There was a touch of colour in her cheeks.
Synonyms
rosiness
glow
The moisturiser gave my face a healthy glow that lasted all day.
bloom
The skin loses its youthful bloom.
flush
There was a slight flush on his cheeks.
blush
A blush spread over Brenda's cheeks.
brilliance
the brilliance of the sun on the water
redness
vividness
the startling vividness of colours in his surroundings
ruddiness
5 (noun)
Definition
details which give vividness or authenticity
The ceremony brought a touch of colour to the normally drab proceedings.
Synonyms
liveliness
Some may enjoy the liveliness of such a restaurant.
life
The town itself was full of life and character.
interest
excitement
The audience was in a state of great excitement.
animation
They both spoke with animation.
zest
He has a zest for life and a quick intellect.
6 (noun)
Definition
semblance or pretext
He will be retried on the charge of using excessive force under the colour of authority.
Synonyms
pretext
They wanted a pretext to restart the war.
He excused himself on the pretext of a stomach ache.
appearance
They gave the appearance of being on both sides.
excuse
There is no excuse for what he did.
plea
Evidence is being invoked in support of pleas of diminished responsibility.
disguise
His seeming naivety was a disguise for his shrewd business mind.
guise
The workers are being dismissed under the guise of a reorganization.
façade
At work they hid their dislike of each other behind a façade of cheerfulness.
pretence
He claimed the police beat him up under the pretence that he was resisting arrest.
semblance
They had nursed Peter back to some semblance of health.
false show
1 (plural noun)
Definition
the flag of a country, regiment, or ship
Troops raised the country's colours in a special ceremony.
Synonyms
flag
standard
banner
emblem
ensign
2 (plural noun)
Definition
a badge or other symbol showing membership of a team, esp. at a school or college
I was wearing the team's colours.
Synonyms
kit
strip
uniform
regalia
3 (plural noun)
After we were married, he showed his true colours.
Synonyms
nature
quality
character
aspect
personality
stamp
traits
temperament
1 (verb)
Definition
to apply colour to (something)
Saffron can be used to colour the rice yellow.
Synonyms
tint
Eyebrows can be tinted with the same dye.
stain
a technique biologists use to stain proteins
dye
The man spun and dyed the wool.
2 (verb)
Definition
to become red in the face, esp. when embarrassed or annoyed
He couldn't help noticing that she coloured slightly.
Synonyms
blush
I blushed scarlet at my stupidity.
flush
He turned away, his face flushing.
crimson
redden
She reddened instantly.
go crimson
burn
Liz's face was burning.
go as red as a beetroot
3 (verb)
Definition
to influence or distort
The attitude of parents colours the way their children behave.
Synonyms
influence
What you eat may influence your risk of getting cancer.
affect
Millions of people have been affected by the drought.
prejudice
I think your upbringing has prejudiced you.
distort
The media distorts reality.
pervert
attempting to pervert the course of justice
taint
slant
The coverage was deliberately slanted to make the home team look good.
4 (verb)
Definition
to give a convincing appearance to
He wrote a highly coloured account of his childhood.
Synonyms
exaggerate
He tends to exaggerate the importance of his job.
disguise
embroider
He said he didn't lie, he just embroidered the truth a little.
misrepresent
The extent of the current strike is being misrepresented.
falsify
The charges against him include fraud, bribery, and falsifying business records.
gloss over
airbrush
related words
related phobiachromophobia
see also subject word lists:
See Shades from black to whiteSee Shades of blueSee Shades of brownSee Shades of greenSee Shades of orangeSee Shades of purpleSee Shades of redSee Shades of yellow
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affect
Definition
to influence (someone or something)
Millions of people have been affected by the drought.