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color Definition

color (kulər)

noun

  1. the sensation resulting from stimulation of the retina of the eye by light waves of certain lengths
  2. the property of reflecting light of a particular wavelength: the distinct colors of the spectrum are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, each of these shading into the next; the primary colors of the spectrum are red, green, and blue, the light beams of which variously combined can produce any of the colors
  3. any coloring matter; dye; pigment; paint: the primary colors of paints, pigments, etc. are red, yellow, and blue, which, when mixed in various ways, produce the secondary colors (green, orange, purple, etc.): black, white, and gray are often called colors (achromatic colors), although black is caused by the complete absorption of light rays, white by the reflection of all the rays that produce color, and gray by an imperfect absorption of all these rays
  4. any color other than black, white, or gray; chromatic color: color is distinguished by the qualities of hue (as red, brown, yellow, etc.), lightness (for pigmented surfaces) or brightness (for light itself), and saturation (the degree of intensity of a hue)
  5. color of the face; esp., a healthy rosiness or a blush
  6. the color of a person's skin
  7. skin pigmentation of a particular people or racial group, esp. when other than white
  8. a colored badge, ribbon, costume, etc. that identifies the wearer
    1. a flag or banner of a country, regiment, etc.
    2. the armed forces of a country, symbolized by the flag to serve with the colors
  9. the side that a person is on; position or opinion stick to your colors
  10. outward appearance or semblance; plausibility
  11. appearance of truth, likelihood, validity, or right; justification the circumstances gave color to his contention
  12. general nature; character the color of his mind
  13. vivid quality or character, as in a personality, literary work, etc.
  14. Art the way of using color, esp. to gain a total effect
  15. Law an apparent or prima-facie right
  16. Mining a trace of gold found in panning
  17. Music
    1. timbre, as of a voice or instrument; tone color
    2. elaborate ornamentation
  18. Particle Physics a unique force or charge on each type of quark that controls how quarks combine to form hadrons: although called red, green, and blue, they are not related to visual colors
  19. Photog., TV reproduction of images in chromatic colors rather than in black, white, and gray
  20. TV, Radio colorful details, background data, etc. supplied by a sports commentator between play-by-play descriptions of the action

Etymology: ME & OFr colour < L color < OL colos, orig., a covering < IE base *kel-, to conceal, hide > hull, hall

adjective

TV, Radio designating or of a sports commentator who supplies color ()

transitive verb

  1. to give color to; impregnate or cover with color, as with paint, stain, or dye
  2. to change the color of
  3. to give a pleasing, convincing, or reasonable appearance to; make plausible
  4. to alter or influence to some degree, as by distortion or exaggeration prejudice colored his views

Etymology: L colorare

intransitive verb

  1. to become colored
  2. to change color, as ripening fruit
  3. to blush or flush
  4. to engage in the child's pastime of drawing or coloring pictures with wax crayons, etc.

color Related Forms
col·orer noun
color Idioms

call to the colors

  1. call or order to serve in the armed forces
  2. Mil. a bugle call for the daily flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies

change color

  1. to become pale
  2. to blush or flush

lose color

to become pale

of color

who is nonwhite; now esp., who is black a woman of color

show one's (true) colors

  1. to reveal one's true self
  2. to make one's opinions, position, etc. known

under color of

under the pretext or guise of

color Synonyms

color

n.

  1. The quality of reflected light

    hue, tone, shade, tinge, tint, pigment, chroma, tinct, luminosity, chromaticity, undertone, value, iridescence, intensity, polychromasia, colorimetric quality, coloration, discoloration, pigmentation, coloring, complexion, cast, glow, blush, wash, tincture; see also tint. see also black 1, blue 1, brown, gold 1, gray 1, green 1, orange, pink, purple, red, tan, yellow 1.

    Antonyms blackness, blankness, pallor.

    Colors include --- colors in the solar spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet; physiological or additive primary colors: red, green, blue; psychological primary colors: red, yellow, green, blue, black, white; primary colors in painting: red, blue, yellow; achromatic colors: black, white, gray; secondary colors: green, orange, violet;

  2. Vividness

    brilliance, intensity, piquancy, zest, freshness, liveliness, vitality, force, interest, local color, colorfulness, brightness, richness, glow.

    Antonyms drabness, dullness*, dimness.

  3. Semblance or pretense

    appearance, pretext, guise; see appearance 1, 2, disguise, pretense 1.

color is the general term for the property of reflecting light of a particular wavelength, allowing the eye to distinguish red, orange, yellow, blue, etc.; shade refers to any of the gradations of a color with reference to its degree of darkness a light shade of green; hue, often equivalent to color, may more specifically indicate a modification of a basic color a reddish hue; in technical use, hue refers to the distinctive property of a color that enables it to be assigned a position in the spectrum; tint refers to a gradation of a color with reference to its degree of whiteness and suggests a paleness or delicacy of color pastel tints; tinge suggests the presence of a small amount of color, usually diffused throughout white with a tinge of blue

call to the colors

draft, conscript, enlist; see enlist 1, recruit 1.

change color

flush, redden, become red in the face; see blush.

lose color

become pale, blanch, faint; see whiten 1.

under color of

under the pretext of, pretending to be, disguised as; see imitating, pretending.

color Synonyms

color

v.

  1. To impart color to

    tint, dye, paint, stain, tinge, gloss, infuse, chalk, daub, gild, fresco, japan, enamel, lacquer, suffuse, stipple, variegate, pigment, distemper, glaze, tone, shade, wash, crayon, chrome, enliven, embellish, give color to, adorn, imbue, emblazon, illuminate, rouge; see also decorate, paint 1, 2.

    Antonyms bleach, fade*, deaden.

  2. To take on color

    blush, flush, redden, become rosy, turn red, bloom, glow, flame; see also blush.

    Antonyms pale, whiten*, grow ashen.

  3. To misrepresent

    distort, pervert, slant; see corrupt 2, influence.

color Law Definition

n

  1. A false appearance; disguise; pretext; especially the false appearance of a claim to legal right, authority, or office. See also color of law and color of title.
  2. The skin complexion of people who do not belong to the Caucasian or Caucasoid ethnic group. The term is frequently added to “race” in constitutional provisions and statutes barring discrimination.
color Usage Examples

Object

  • pencil: More than percent his colored pencils a melt-down of.

Converse of object

  • specify: Tick the box for Ignore colors specified on Web pages.
  • customize: This allows you to customize individual colors of body parts.

Adjective modifier

  • vivid: It is clear that Ms. Lu sees the world in vivid color.
  • favorite: Favorite color: Purple Favorite book: The Firm - like the film with Tom Cruise.
  • bold: Take bold colors in purples russets, yellow and reds.
  • 16-bit: The 24/1600 will allow 24-bit color up to 1152x870 and 16-bit color beyond that up to 1920 x 1080.
  • 24-bit: The 24/1600 will allow 24-bit color up to 1152x870 and 16-bit color beyond that up to 1920 x 1080.
  • bright: Lavish gardens add bright tropical colors to the scene, a visual tapestry of rare beauty.

Modifies a noun

  • palette: Then, each image can have it's own 256 color palette.
  • ink: You can also use spot color inks to adapt your design to best showcase the photo subjects.
  • correction: You'll likely find the best color correction for your image by experimenting with various thumbnail adjustments.
  • depth: The SiS 5598 is not capable of supporting overlays but does support hardware gamma color correction in all color depths.
  • reproduction: A letter acknowledging willingness to defray the cost of color reproduction must accompany the final revised manuscript.
  • swatch: You can't drop and drop the colors swatches to the palette window.

Noun used with modifier

  • foreground: The grid squares will be set to the foreground color.
  • background: Background color The color with which to fill the frame.
  • default: In this case, the border will appear using the default text color for the web page.

Preposition: of

  • rainbow: Each one represents a color of the rainbow, hence the name.
  • widget: IST's Motif Accessibility Solution does provide a lot of control over the foreground and background colors of all widgets in an application.