Color

(kŭl'ur), n. [Lat., Pr., Sp., & Pg. color, It. colore, Fr. couleur.] 1. A property depending on the relations of light to the eye, by which the mind is capable of distinguishing individual and specific differences in the hues and tints of objects which are apprehended in vision; as, gay colors; sad colors, &c. Complementary color, one of two colors so related to each other that when blended together they produce white light;—so called because each color makes up to the other what it lacks to make it white.—Primary colors, those developed from the solar beam by the prism, viz., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, which are reduced by some authors to three—red, yellow, and blue.—Subjective or accidental color, a false or spurious color seen in some instances, owing to the persistence of the luminous impression upon the retina, and a gradual change of its character, as where a wheel perfectly white, and with a circumference regularly subdivided, is made to revolve rapidly over a dark object, the teeth of the wheel appear to the eye of different shades of color varying with the rapidity of rotation. 2. Any hue or tint as distinguished from white. Give color to my pale cheek. Shak.

3. That which is used to give color; paint; pigments; as, to paint in oil-colors or water-colors.
4. That which covers or hides the real character of any thing; semblance; show; palliation; pretense; disguise; appearance.

That he should die is worthy policy; But yet we want a color for his death. Shak. 5. Shade or variety of character; kind; species. Boys and women are, . . . for the most part, cattle of this color. Shak.

6. (pl.) A flag, ensign, or standard, as that borne in an army, at a mast-head, &c. “With colors flying and music playing.” Prescott.
7. (Law.) An apparent or prima facie right; as where the defendant in trespass gave to the plaintiff an appearance of title, by stating his title specially, thus removing the cause from the jury to the court. Blackstone.