color

noun, often attributive

col·or | \ ˈkə-lər

Definition of color

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a phenomenon of light (such as red, brown, pink, or gray) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects

b(1) : the aspect of the appearance of objects and light sources that may be described in terms of hue, lightness, and saturation (see saturation sense 4) for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources the changing color of the sky also : a specific combination of hue, saturation, and lightness or brightness comes in six colors

(2) : a color other than and as contrasted with black, white, or gray

2a : an outward often deceptive show : appearance His story has the color of truth.

b : a legal claim to or appearance of a right, authority, or office

c : a pretense offered as justification : pretext the color for his action

d : an appearance of authenticity : plausibility lending color to this notion

3 : complexion tint:

a : the tint characteristic of good health … sat looking at her with wistful eyes, trying to see signs of hope in the faint color on Beth's cheeks.— Louisa May Alcott

b : blush

4a : vividness or variety of effects of language … that color and force of style which were later to make him outstanding among American editors …— Arthur Krock

b : local color

5a : an identifying badge, pennant, or flag —usually used in plural a ship sailing under Swedish colors

b : colored clothing distinguishing one as a member of a particular group or representative of a particular person or thing —usually used in plural a jockey wearing the colors of the stablewore his college colors to the game

6a colors plural : position as to a question or course of action : stand … the USSR changed neither its colors nor its stripes during all of this …— Norman Mailer

b : character, nature —usually used in plural showed himself in his true colors

7a : the use or combination of colors

b : two or more hues employed in a medium of presentation movies in color

8 colors plural

a : a naval or nautical salute to a flag being hoisted or lowered

b : armed forces

9 : vitality, interest The play had a good deal of color to it.

10 : something used to give color : pigment

11 : the quality of timbre in music the color and richness of the cello

12 : skin pigmentation especially other than white characteristic of race a person of color

13 : a small particle of gold in a gold miner's pan after washing

14 : analysis of game action or strategy, statistics and background information on participants, and often anecdotes provided by a sportscaster to give variety and interest to the broadcast of a game or contest a color commentator

15 : a hypothetical property of quarks that differentiates each type into three forms having a distinct role in binding quarks together

color

verb

colored; coloring; colors

Definition of color (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to give color to

b : to change the color of (as by dyeing, staining, or painting) She colors her hair.

2 : to change as if by dyeing or painting: such as

a : misrepresent, distort a highly colored version of the facts

b : gloss, excuse color a lie

c : influence "The lives of most of us have been colored by politics … "— Christine Weston

3 : characterize, label … call it progress; color it inevitable with shades of job security— C. E. Price

intransitive verb

1 : to take on color specifically : blush She colored at the mention of his name.

2 : to fill in a shape or picture outlined on a piece of paper using markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc. His granddaughter Fernanda sat at his side, coloring with crayons.— Charles Montgomery

color

Definition of color

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