colour

[kuhl-er] /ˈkʌl ər/
noun, adjective, verb (used with object), verb (used without object), Chiefly British
1.
color.
Related forms
transcolour, adjective
Usage note
See -or1.
Examples from the web for colour
  • If the water in the body is balanced, the urine will be a pale straw or lemonade colour.
  • Intersperse them so that no-one is sitting beside someone with the same colour test.
  • The colour comes from the light that remains unabsorbed.
  • Concentrating on red colour for couple of minutes and then putting it off shows green colour.
  • colour is an added element of design that needs such careful consideration in a composition.
  • In the mountains above the town, the forests are turning the colour of autumn.
  • Im still researching what the reason for my eye colour is but some of the information is quite scary ie chimera and mosaic dna.
  • And they'll mix any colour in the world for you at the counter.
  • Most people recall information in colour and if they have learnt something with an image then they recall the image.
  • Yep, mine is actually steel grey, and she'll do any colour plus a bunch of patterns including khaki and animal print.
British Dictionary definitions for colour

colour

/ˈkʌlə/
noun
1.
  1. an attribute of things that results from the light they reflect, transmit, or emit in so far as this light causes a visual sensation that depends on its wavelengths
  2. the aspect of visual perception by which an observer recognizes this attribute
  3. the quality of the light producing this aspect of visual perception
  4. (as modifier): colour vision
2.
Also called chromatic colour
  1. a colour, such as red or green, that possesses hue, as opposed to achromatic colours such as white or black
  2. (as modifier): a colour television, a colour film Compare black-and-white (sense 2)
3.
a substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts colour to something
4.
  1. the skin complexion of a person, esp as determined by his race
  2. (as modifier): colour prejudice, colour problem
5.
the use of all the hues in painting as distinct from composition, form, and light and shade
6.
the quantity and quality of ink used in a printing process
7.
the distinctive tone of a musical sound; timbre
8.
vividness, authenticity, or individuality: period colour
9.
semblance or pretext (esp in the phrases take on a different colour, under colour of)
10.
(US) a precious mineral particle, esp gold, found in auriferous gravel
11.
(physics) one of three characteristics of quarks, designated red, blue, or green, but having no relationship with the physical sensation
verb
12.
to give or apply colour to (something)
13.
(transitive) to give a convincing or plausible appearance to (something, esp to that which is spoken or recounted): to colour an alibi
14.
(transitive) to influence or distort (something, esp a report or opinion): anger coloured her judgment
15.
(intransitive) often foll by up. to become red in the face, esp when embarrassed or annoyed
16.
(intransitive) (esp of ripening fruit) to change hue
See also colours
Word Origin
C13: from Old French colour from Latin color tint, hue
Word Origin and History for colour

chiefly British English spelling of color (q.v.); for ending see -or. Related: Coloured; colouring; colourful; colours.

colour in Technology
graphics
(US "color") Colours are usually represented as RGB triples in a digital image because this corresponds most closely to the electronic signals needed to drive a CRT. Several equivalent systems ("colour models") exist, e.g. HSB. A colour image may be stored as three separate images, one for each of red, green, and blue, or each pixel may encode the colour using separate bit-fields for each colour component, or each pixel may store a logical colour number which is looked up in a hardware colour palette to find the colour to display.
Printers may use the CMYK or Pantone representations of colours as well as RGB.
(1999-08-02)
colour in the Bible

The subject of colours holds an important place in the Scriptures. White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words. It is applied to milk (Gen. 49:12), manna (Ex. 16:31), snow (Isa. 1:18), horses (Zech. 1:8), raiment (Eccl. 9:8). Another Hebrew word so rendered is applied to marble (Esther 1:6), and a cognate word to the lily (Cant. 2:16). A different term, meaning "dazzling," is applied to the countenance (Cant. 5:10). This colour was an emblem of purity and innocence (Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Rev. 19:8, 14), of joy (Eccl. 9:8), and also of victory (Zech. 6:3; Rev. 6:2). The hangings of the tabernacle court (Ex. 27:9; 38:9), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests (Ex. 39:27,28), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement (Lev. 16:4,32), were white. Black, applied to the hair (Lev. 13:31; Cant. 5:11), the complexion (Cant. 1:5), and to horses (Zech. 6:2,6). The word rendered "brown" in Gen. 30:32 (R.V., "black") means properly "scorched", i.e., the colour produced by the influence of the sun's rays. "Black" in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease. The word is applied to a mourner's robes (Jer. 8:21; 14:2), to a clouded sky (1 Kings 18:45), to night (Micah 3:6; Jer. 4:28), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow (Job 6:16). It is used as symbolical of evil in Zech. 6:2, 6 and Rev. 6:5. It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity (Jer. 14:2; Lam. 4:8; 5:10). Red, applied to blood (2 Kings 3;22), a heifer (Num. 19:2), pottage of lentils (Gen. 25:30), a horse (Zech. 1:8), wine (Prov. 23:31), the complexion (Gen. 25:25; Cant. 5:10). This colour is symbolical of bloodshed (Zech. 6:2; Rev. 6:4; 12:3). Purple, a colour obtained from the secretion of a species of shell-fish (the Murex trunculus) which was found in the Mediterranean, and particularly on the coasts of Phoenicia and Asia Minor. The colouring matter in each separate shell-fish amounted to only a single drop, and hence the great value of this dye. Robes of this colour were worn by kings (Judg. 8:26) and high officers (Esther 8:15). They were also worn by the wealthy and luxurious (Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:7; Luke 16:19; Rev. 17:4). With this colour was associated the idea of royalty and majesty (Judg. 8:26; Cant. 3:10; 7:5; Dan. 5:7, 16,29). Blue. This colour was also procured from a species of shell-fish, the chelzon of the Hebrews, and the Helix ianthina of modern naturalists. The tint was emblematic of the sky, the deep dark hue of the Eastern sky. This colour was used in the same way as purple. The ribbon and fringe of the Hebrew dress were of this colour (Num. 15:38). The loops of the curtains (Ex. 26:4), the lace of the high priest's breastplate, the robe of the ephod, and the lace on his mitre, were blue (Ex. 28:28, 31, 37). Scarlet, or Crimson. In Isa. 1:18 a Hebrew word is used which denotes the worm or grub whence this dye was procured. In Gen. 38:28,30, the word so rendered means "to shine," and expresses the brilliancy of the colour. The small parasitic insects from which this dye was obtained somewhat resembled the cochineal which is found in Eastern countries. It is called by naturalists Coccus ilics. The dye was procured from the female grub alone. The only natural object to which this colour is applied in Scripture is the lips, which are likened to a scarlet thread (Cant. 4:3). Scarlet robes were worn by the rich and luxurious (2 Sam. 1:24; Prov. 31:21; Jer. 4:30. Rev. 17:4). It was also the hue of the warrior's dress (Nah. 2:3; Isa. 9:5). The Phoenicians excelled in the art of dyeing this colour (2 Chr. 2:7). These four colours--white, purple, blue, and scarlet--were used in the textures of the tabernacle curtains (Ex. 26:1, 31, 36), and also in the high priest's ephod, girdle, and breastplate (Ex. 28:5, 6, 8, 15). Scarlet thread is mentioned in connection with the rites of cleansing the leper (Lev. 14:4, 6, 51) and of burning the red heifer (Num. 19:6). It was a crimson thread that Rahab was to bind on her window as a sign that she was to be saved alive (Josh. 2:18; 6:25) when the city of Jericho was taken. Vermilion, the red sulphuret of mercury, or cinnabar; a colour used for drawing the figures of idols on the walls of temples (Ezek. 23:14), or for decorating the walls and beams of houses (Jer. 22:14).