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
Example Sentences Including 'bluer'
"As he said this, the flames flowing around him seemed to take on a hotter, bluer colour.The Broken God
As we motor away in the morning en route to the island of Chalki, I watch Nisyros disappear into a blur of blue sky and bluer water.Globe and Mail (2003)
But when they inserted the gene into rose cells, the resulting flower was no bluer than, well, a rose.New Scientist (1998)
His naturally blond hair has frosted tips and his eyes are bluer in person than on-screen.Globe and Mail (2003)
Jules had eyes bluer than the Mediterranean; Crevecoeur had eyes greyer than Notre Dame.Skorpion's Death
More exposure dilutes the colour in the lower part of the sky, but shows more of the higher, bluer parts.Collins Complete Guide to Photography
The ocean was * calm, and the sky was even bluer than it had been earlier that day.My Babysitter has Fangs
Their language becomes bluer than ever, parents are up in arms, Canada invades the US and Saddam Hussein becomes Satan's lover.Sun, News of the World (1999)
`Thus if one is to be five times as distant, make it five times bluer ," he said.Times, Sunday Times (2004)
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