lend color to

lend color to idiom
Embellish, especially to give the appearance of truth. For example, I'm sure he lied about reaching the summit; that detailed account about losing his pack merely lent color to the story. This expression uses color in the sense of “appearance of authenticity.” [Late 1700s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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