blue (bluer comparative) (bluest superlative) (blues plural )
1 colour Something that is blue is the colour of the sky on a sunny day.
There were swallows in the cloudless blue sky..., She fixed her pale blue eyes on her father's., ...colourful blues and reds.
2 n-plural The blues is a type of music which was developed by African American musicians in the southern United States. It is characterized by a slow tempo and a strong rhythm.
the N
3 n-plural If you have got the blues, you feel sad and depressed.
INFORMAL the N
Interfering in-laws are the prime sources of the blues.
4 adj If you are feeling blue, you are feeling sad or depressed, often when there is no particular reason.
INFORMAL v-link ADJ
(=down)
There's no earthly reason for me to feel so blue.
5 adj Blue films, stories, or jokes are about sex.
ADJ n
...a secret stash of porn mags and blue movies.
6 If something happens out of the blue, it happens unexpectedly.
out of the blue phrase
One of them wrote to us out of the blue several years later.
blue baby (blue babies plural )A blue baby is a baby whose skin is slightly blue because it has been born with something wrong with its heart. n-count
blue-black
Something that is blue-black is bluish black in colour. colour
...blue-black feathers.
blue-blooded
A blue-blooded person is from a royal or noble family. adj
...blue-blooded aristocrats.
blue book (blue books plural ), Blue Book A blue book is an official government report or register of statistics.
(BRIT) n-count
blue chip (blue chips plural )Blue chip stocks and shares are an investment which are considered fairly safe to invest in while also being profitable. (BUSINESS) n-count oft N n
Blue chip issues were sharply higher, but the rest of the market actually declined slightly by the end of the day.
blue-collar
Blue-collar workers work in industry, doing physical work, rather than in offices. adj ADJ n (Antonym: white-collar)
blue-eyed boy (blue-eyed boys plural )Someone's blue-eyed boy is a young man who they like better than anyone else and who therefore receives better treatment than other people.
(BRIT) n-count oft poss N (disapproval)
(=darling, favourite)
He was the media's blue-eyed boy.
in AM, use fair-haired boy
blue jeans
Blue jeans are the same as jeans. n-plural also a pair of N
...faded blue jeans.
blue riband (blue ribands plural ), blue ribband If someone or something wins the blue riband in a competition, they win first prize. The prize is sometimes in the shape of a blue ribbon.
(BRIT) n-count
Olga did not win the all-round championship, the blue riband event.
in AM, use blue ribbon
blue ribbon (blue ribbons plural )A blue ribbon is the same as a blue riband.
(AM) n-count
blue tit (blue tits plural )A blue tit is a small European bird with a blue head, wings, and tail, and a yellow front. n-count
electric blue , electric-blue
Something that is electric blue is very bright blue in colour. colour
ice-blue
Ice-blue is a very pale blue colour.
LITERARY colour
midnight blue
Something that is midnight blue is a very dark blue colour, almost black. colour
peacock blue
Something that is peacock blue is a deep, bright, greeny-blue in colour. colour
powder blue , powder-blue
Something that is powder blue is a pale greyish-blue colour. colour
royal blue
Something that is royal blue is deep blue in colour. colour
sky-blue
Something that is sky-blue is a very pale blue in colour. colour
Her silk shirtdress was sky-blue, the colour of her eyes.
true-blue , true blue
1 adj If you describe someone as true-blue, you mean that they are right-wing in their ideas and opinions.
(BRIT)
Her husband is a true blue Tory.
2 adj A true-blue supporter of something is someone who is very loyal and reliable.
(AM)
