Word Frequency
blue (bluː
)
Definitions
noun
- any of a group of colours, such as that of a clear unclouded sky, that have wavelengths in the range 490–445 nanometres. Blue is the complementary colour of yellow and with red and green forms a set of primary colours related adjective cyanic
- a dye or pigment of any of these colours
- blue cloth or clothing ⇒
dressed in blue
-
- a sportsperson who represents or has represented Oxford or Cambridge University and
has the right to wear the university colour (dark blue for Oxford, light blue for
Cambridge) ⇒
an Oxford blue
- the honour of so representing one's university
- a sportsperson who represents or has represented Oxford or Cambridge University and
has the right to wear the university colour (dark blue for Oxford, light blue for
Cambridge) ⇒
- (British) an informal name for Tory
- any of numerous small blue-winged butterflies of the genera Lampides, Polyommatus, etc: family Lycaenidae
- (archaic) short for bluestocking
- (slang) a policeman
- (archery) a blue ring on a target, between the red and the black, scoring five points
- a blue ball in snooker, etc
- another name for blueing
- (Australian & New Zealand, slang) an argument or fight ⇒
he had a blue with a taxi driver
- Also: bluey (Australian & New Zealand, slang) a court summons, esp for a traffic offence
- (Australian & New Zealand, informal) a mistake; error
-
See out of the blue
-
See into the blue
adjective
Word forms: bluer, bluest
- of the colour blue
- (of the flesh) having a purple tinge, as from cold or contusion
- depressed, moody, or unhappy
- dismal or depressing ⇒
a blue day
- indecent, titillating, or pornographic ⇒
blue films
- bluish in colour or having parts or marks that are bluish ⇒
a blue fox
,a blue whale
- (rare) aristocratic; noble; patrician ⇒
a blue family
See blue blood - (US) relating to, supporting, or representing the Democratic Party Compare red1 (sense 18)
verb
Word forms: blues, blueing, bluing, blued
- to make, dye, or become blue
- tr to treat (laundry) with blueing
- tr (slang) to spend extravagantly or wastefully; squander
See also
bluesDerived Forms
ˈbluely adverbˈblueness noun
Word Origin
C13: from Old French bleu, of Germanic origin; compare Old Norse blār, Old High German blāo, Middle Dutch blā; related to Latin flāvus yellowSynonyms
View thesaurus entry = depressed, low, sad, unhappy, fed up, gloomy, dismal, melancholy, glum, dejected, despondent, downcast, down in the dumps, down in the mouth, low-spirited, down-hearted,
= smutty, dirty, naughty, obscene, indecent, vulgar, lewd, risqué, X-rated, bawdy, page-three, near the knuckle,
= depression, gloom, melancholy, unhappiness, despondency, the hump, dejection, moodiness, low spirits, the dumps, the doldrums, gloominess, glumness
Translations for 'blue'
- British English: blue Something that is blue is the colour of the sky on a sunny day.There were swallows in the cloudless blue sky.bluː ADJECTIVE
- Arabic: أَزْرَق
- Brazilian Portuguese: azul
- Chinese: 蓝色的
- Croatian: plav plava
- Czech: modrý
- Danish: blå
- Dutch: blauw
- European Spanish: azul
- Finnish: sininen
- French: bleucouleur
- German: blau
- Greek: γαλάζιος γαλάζια
- Italian: blu
- Japanese: 青い
- Korean: 파란
- Norwegian: blå blått
- Polish: niebieski niebieska
- Portuguese: azul
- Romanian: albastru albastru, albastră, albaștri, albastre
- Russian: голубой голубая
- Spanish: azul
- Swedish: blå blått
- Thai: สีฟ้า
- Turkish: mavi
- Ukrainian: синій
- Vietnamese: xanh da trời
Example Sentences Including 'blue'
And everywhere, a running joke by the architects alludes to the starry, blue flag of Europe.Irish Times (2002)
Her blue eyes seemed to see into Lirael, perceiving the fears that she had not voiced.LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
However, Tigers should try not to use blue , grey or black in 2003, to avoid bad luck.ROCKY SUNG'S GUIDE TO CHINESE ASTROLOGY AND FENG SHUI 2003 (2002)
It is not over-fishing which has threatened these strange lilac blue fish whose male bellies turn to red-orange in the spawning season.Irish Times (2002)
She wouldn ' t have to stand with a bunch of children in blue tunics.LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
The blue hats shaded sightless eye sockets, the blue scarves held together rotting heads.LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
Then in September 1999, out of the blue , Mr Portillo admitted to a homosexual past.Glasgow Herald (2001)
This will leave a gap in the middle of the boat which will be replaced by former Cambridge rowing blue Annie Lush (24).Yachting Boating World (2005)
True blue THE Tories know which side their editorial bread is buttered on.Glasgow Herald (2001)
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