1 [mass noun] the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light:the lights flickered and changed colour
[count noun] one, or any mixture, of the constituents into which light can be separated in a spectrum or rainbow, sometimes including (loosely) black and white:a rich brown coloura range of bright colours
the use of all colours, not only black and white, in photography or television:he has shot the whole film in colour [as modifier]:colour television
rosiness or redness of the face as an indication of health or of embarrassment, anger, etc.:there was some colour back in his facecolour flooded her skin as she realized what he meant
a substance used to give something a particular colour:lip colour
[count noun] Heraldry any of the major conventional colours used in coats of arms (gules, vert, sable, azure, purpure), especially as opposed to the metals, furs, and stains.
[count noun] Snooker any of the balls other than the white cue ball and the reds:Hendry potted the last four colours to win 5-4
2 [mass noun] pigmentation of the skin, especially as an indication of someone’s race:discrimination on the basis of colour
[count noun] a group of people considered as being distinguished by skin pigmentation:all colours and nationalities
3 [mass noun] vivid appearance resulting from the juxtaposition of many bright things:for colour, plant groups of winter-flowering pansies
features that lend a particularly interesting quality to something:a town full of colour and character
variety of musical tone or expression:orchestral colour
4 (colours) an item or items of a particular colour worn to identify or distinguish an individual or a member of a group, in particular a jockey or a member of a sports team:it was Devon Loch’s first victory in the colours of his royal ownerit will be strange running on to the pitch in another team’s colours
(also school colours) a badge, cap, or other item in the distinctive colours of a particular school, awarded to a pupil selected to represent the school in a sport.
chiefly British the flag of a country, or of a regiment or ship:all over the world countries which had long been administered by others were hoisting their own coloursthe Cheshire Regiment celebrated its tercentenary with a tattoo and the presentation of the new colours
5a shade of meaning:many events in her past had taken on a different colour
6 [mass noun] Physics a quantized property of quarks which can take three values (designated blue, green, and red) for each flavour.
ზმნა
Universal
1 [with object] change the colour of (something) by painting, dyeing, or shading it:he coloured her hair with a selection of blonde and brown shades
[no object] take on a different colour:the foliage will not colour well if the soil is too rich
fill (a shape or outline) with colour:he hated finger-painting and colouring in pictures
make vivid or picturesque:he has coloured the dance with gestures from cabaret and vaudeville
2 [no object] (of a person or their skin) show embarrassment or shame by becoming red; blush:she coloured slightly
[with object] cause (a person’s skin) to change in colour:rage coloured his pale complexion
[with object] (of an emotion) imbue (a person’s voice) with a particular tone:surprise coloured her voice
3 [with object] influence, especially in a negative way; distort:the experiences had coloured her whole existence
misrepresent by distortion or exaggeration:witnesses might colour evidence to make a story saleable
lend (or give) colour to
make something seem true or probable:this lent colour and credibility to his defence
sail under false colours
disguise one’s true nature or intentions:he felt the waiters could see that in his cashmere tweed jacket he is sailing under false colours
show one's true colours
reveal one’s real character or intentions, especially when these are disreputable or dishonourable:she was only too anxious to get out of the room now that her employer had shown his true colours
under colour of
under the pretext of:under colour of writing the history of the East Frankish kingdom, he has dealt as much with the history of Italy
