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1. Having the colour of the clear sky, or a hue resembling it, whether lighter or darker; as, the deep, blue sea; as blue as a sapphire; blue violets. The blue firmament.

2. Pale, without redness or glare, said of a flame; hence, of the colour of burning brimstone, betokening the presence of ghosts or devils; as, the candle burns blue; the air was blue with oaths.




6. Literary; applied to women; an abbreviation of bluestocking. The ladies were very blue and well informed. (Thackeray) blue asbestus. See Crocidolite. Blue black, of, or having, a very dark blue colour, almost black. Blue blood. See blood. Blue buck, sulphate of copper, a violet blue crystallized salt, used in electric batteries, calico printing, etc. Blue water, the open ocean. To look blue, to look disheartened or dejected. True blue, genuine and thorough; not modified, nor mixed; not spurious; specifically, of uncompromising Presbyterianism, blue being the colour adopted by the Covenanters. For his religion . . . 'T was Presbyterian, true blue. (Hudibras)

Origin: oe. Bla, blo, blew, blue, Sw. Bl, D. Blauw 898 , OHG. Blo, g. Blau; but influenced in form by f. Bleu, from OHG. Blao.

1. One of the seven colours into which the rays of light divide themselves, when refracted through a glass prism; the colour of the clear sky, or a colour resembling that, whether lighter or darker; a pigment having such colour. Sometimes, poetically, the sky.

2. A pedantic woman; a bluestocking.

3. [Short for blue devils] low spirits; a fit of despondency; melancholy. Berlin blue, prussian blue. Mineral blue. See mineral. Prussian blue. See prussian.