{
    "term": "colour",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the appearance that things have that results from the way in which they reflect light. Red, orange and green are colours.",
            "sensetop": "in colour",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "What's your favourite colour?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "**bright/vibrant/bold colours**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She always wears **dark colours**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'd like to paint this room in a **lighter colour**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a warm **colour palette** *(= the range of colours used for something)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "available in 12 **different colours**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the colour of the sky"
                },
                {
                    "text": "**skin/hair colour**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "red/green/blue, etc. in colour",
                    "contextForm": "in colour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her hair is a reddish-brown colour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The stage lights **changed colour** from red to blue."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Foods which go through a factory process lose much of their colour, flavour and texture."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Dark colours suit you best."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Green is a good colour on you."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I like to wear bright colours."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Simple patterns and solid colours are particularly effective."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The chameleon changes colour to match its surroundings."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The curtains went a strange orange colour when we washed them."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The flowers are pale blue in colour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The garden is a riot of colour in spring."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The leaf colour ranges from dark green to almost brown."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The scarf is available in six different colours."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What is her natural hair colour?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Your shirt matches the colour of your eyes."
                },
                {
                    "text": "cool colours like blue and grey"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the intense colour of new leaves"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The garden was a mass of colour."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Colours and Shapes"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["bold", "bright", "brilliant"],
                "… of colour/​color": ["dash", "flash", "splash"],
                "verb + colour/​color": ["change", "add", "match"],
                "colour/​color + verb": ["match (something)", "clash", "fade"],
                "colour/​color + noun": ["combination", "range", "scheme"],
                "preposition": ["in colour", "in a colour"],
                "phrases": ["a combination of colours", "a range of colours"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the use of all the colours, not only black and white",
            "sensetop": "in colour",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the introduction of colour television in the UK in 1967"
                },
                {
                    "text": "colour photographs"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a colour printer"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a full-colour brochure"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Do you dream in colour?",
                    "contextForm": "in colour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a colour TV in every room"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a 48-page reference section in full colour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a 24-page full-colour booklet"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Is the film in colour or black and white?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "colour photography/​printing"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the colour of a person’s skin, seen as showing that they belong to a particular race",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Discrimination on the grounds of race, religion or colour was outlawed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "people of all ages, genders, creeds and colours"
                },
                {
                    "text": "to discriminate on the basis of colour"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["People in society"],
            "collocations": {
                "colour/​color + noun": ["bar", "barrier"],
                "preposition": ["of colour"],
                "phrases": ["on the basis of colour", "on (the) grounds of colour"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a red or pink colour in somebody’s face, especially when it shows that they look healthy or that they are embarrassed",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The fresh air brought colour to their cheeks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Colour flooded her face when she thought of what had happened."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His face was drained of colour *(= he looked pale and ill)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Gradually the colour returned to his cheeks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her face drained of all colour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I could feel the colour rush to my cheeks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The colour drained from her face when she saw him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The colour rose in his face."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The walk brought colour to her face."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You could tell she was excited by the heightened colour in her cheeks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You have a bit more colour in your cheeks now."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["heightened", "high", "faint"],
                "verb + colour/​color": ["have", "bring", "be drained of"],
                "colour/​color + verb": ["flood something", "rise", "rush"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "a substance that is used to give colour to something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a semi-permanent hair colour that lasts six to eight washes"
                },
                {
                    "text": "This colour runs, so wash the shirt separately."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "interesting and exciting details or qualities",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The old town is full of colour and attractions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her acting added warmth and colour to the production."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to **add/give/lend colour** to something *(= make it brighter, more interesting, etc.)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "These flowers certainly give the room a bit of colour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His asides lent colour to the story."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The silk cushions add colour to an otherwise dull room."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["local"],
                "verb + colour": ["add", "give something", "lend"],
                "phrases": ["full of colour"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "the particular colours that are used on clothes, flags, etc. to represent a team, school, political party or country",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Red and white are the team colours."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Spain’s national colours"
                },
                {
                    "text": "There are people of different political colours on the committee."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "a flag, badge, etc. that represents a team, country, ship, etc.",
            "labels": "(especially British English)",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Most buildings had a flagpole with the national colours flying."
                },
                {
                    "text": "sailing under the French colours"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Transport by water"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to make something seem true or likely",
            "labels": "(British English, formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Most of the available evidence lends colour to this view."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Doubt, guessing and certainty"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to say publicly and clearly what you believe or who you support",
            "labels": "(especially British English)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "who is not white",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "people of colour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "As a woman of colour, this concerns me."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a literary prize for writers of colour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "students of colour"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["People in society"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to make sure that somebody has enough money to pay for something",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You need to see the colour of his money before you sell him the car."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "your real character, rather than the one that you usually allow other people to see",
            "labels": "(often disapproving)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It was only after they got married that he showed himself in his true colours."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "very well; with a very high mark",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She passed the exam with flying colours."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈkʌlə(r)/",
                "audio": "co/colour/colour__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈkʌlər/",
                "audio": "co/colour/colour__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French colour (noun), colourer (verb), from Latin color (noun), colorare (verb)."
}