blue

1. 1

   Of a blue hue.

   • the deep blue sea
   • Why is the sky blue?
2. 2

   Depressed, melancholic, sad.informal

   • "Will you play some of the 'Garden' now?" she asked. "I think I should like it. I'm just the least bit blue."
   • But I'm bluer than blue / Sadder than sad.
3. 3

   Having a bluish or purplish shade to the skin due to a lack of oxygen to the normally deep-red red blood cells; cyanotic.

   • My hands were blue with cold.
   • The divers got them out of the car just in time – they were starting to turn blue.
4. 4

   Pale, without redness or glare.

   • The candle burns blue.
5. 5

   Supportive of, run by (a member of), pertaining to, or dominated by a political party represented by the colour blue.; Supportive of, run by (a member of), pertaining to, or dominated by the Democratic Party.US

   • I live in a blue constituency. Congress turned blue in the mid-term elections.
6. 6

   Supportive of, run by (a member of), pertaining to, or dominated by a political party represented by the colour blue.; Supportive of or related to the Liberal Party.Australian

   • Illawarra turns blue in Liberal washout
7. 7

   Supportive of, run by (a member of), pertaining to, or dominated by a political party represented by the colour blue.; Supportive of or related to the Conservative Party.UK

8. 8

   Of, dominated by, or shifted toward the higher-frequency, or "bluer", end of the electromagnetic spectrum.

9. 9

   Having a colour charge of blue.particle

10. 10

    Extra rare; left very raw and cold.

syn. azure · cerulean · navy · sapphire · X-rated

ant. nonblue · unblue · conservative · red · Republican · antiblue

1. 1

   The colour of the clear sky or the deep sea; the colour midway between green and violet in the visible spectrum and one of the primary additive colours.countableuncountable

   • She watches the yachts in the creamy evening blues.
   • Red No. 3, red No. 40, blue No. 2 and green No. 3 all have been linked with cancer or tumors in animals. Other sources say red No. 40 and yellow No. 5 and No. 6 contain or may be contaminated with known carcinogens.
2. 2

   Anything coloured blue, especially to distinguish it from similar objects differing only in colour.countableuncountable

   • I don't like red Smarties. Have you got a blue?
3. 3

   A blue dye or pigment.countableuncountable

4. 4

   Blue clothing.uncountable

   • The boys in blue marched to the pipers.
5. 5

   Blue clothing.; A blue uniform. See blues.countablein-pluraluncountable

6. 6

   Blue clothing.; A member of a sports team that wears blue colours; (in the plural) a nickname for the team as a whole. See also blues.countableuncountable

   • Come on, you blues!
7. 7

   Blue clothing.; An umpire, in reference to the typical dark-blue colour of the umpire's uniform. Sometimes perceived by umpires as derogatory when used by players or coaches while disputing a call.countableslanguncountable

   • He was safe! Terrible call, blue!
8. 8

   Blue clothing.; Sporting colours awarded by a university or other institution for sporting achievement, such as representing one's university, especially and originally at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England. See also full blue, half blue.countableuncountable

   • He excelled at rowing and received a blue in the sport at Oxford.
9. 9

   Blue clothing.; A person who has received such sporting colours.countableuncountable

   • He was a rugby blue at Cambridge.
10. 10

    Blue clothing.; A member of law enforcement.countableslanguncountable

    • He dialed Kathy to be sure she was okay and see if the blues arrived. She was crying when she picked up the phone. “Kathy, honey, I'm here. It'll be okay. Are the police there?”

syn. azure · blue · cerulean · indigo · navy · royal · sky blue · ultramarine · aqua · aquamarine · cyan · teal

1. 1

   To make or become blue; to turn blue.ergative

   • It blows, it snows, And blues your nose, My toes are all frost bitten The weather would Quite starve the crows, Or freeze the part you sit on.
   • The dawn is wanly blueing.
2. 2

   To treat the surface of steel so that it is passivated chemically and becomes more resistant to rust.transitive

3. 3

   To brighten by treating with blue (laundry aid).transitive

4. 4

   To fight, brawl, or argue.Australiaintransitiveslang

   • It was years since Ken had flogged her up, but blueing with him still made her ache.

1. 1

   To spend (money) extravagantly; to blow.datedslangtransitive

   • So far as I can see, there’s nothing to prevent you from drawing a cheque for fifty thousand and blueing the lot.
   • They was willing to blue the lot and have nothing left when they got home except debts on the never-never.