black and white and grey

0

gray

gray [adjective] (COLOUR)
US /ɡreɪ/ 
UK /ɡreɪ/ 
Example: 

gray hair

the colour of dark clouds, neither black nor white

gray - خاکستری
Persian equivalent: 

Click here.

Example: 

gray hair

Theme, CEFR level & Tags

Theme: 
black and white and grey
Level: 
A1 (Basic)
Region: 
American English
British English
Related lesson(s): 
3C- Talking about clothes and possessions
درس مرتبط: 
3C- Talking about clothes and possessions

Oxford Essential Dictionary

1gray US or chiefly Brit grey /ˈgreɪ/ adj gray·er; -est
1 : having a color between black and white : having a color that is like the color of smoke
• a gray sweater/suit
• gray hair
2 : having gray hair
• What will you do when you are old and gray?
• My friends have all gone gray.
3 : lacking brightness: such as
a : cloudy and dark
• It was a gray winter day.
• a cold, gray dawn
b : very boring or ordinary
• leading a gray existence
c : having or showing little life or energy
• the gray faces of the people in the crowd
- gray·ness US or chiefly Brit grey·ness noun [noncount]
• the grayness of the dawn

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

gray

I. gray /ɡreɪ/ BrE AmE
the usual American spelling of ↑grey
II. grey2 BrE AmE British English, gray American English noun
[uncountable and countable] the colour of dark clouds, neither black nor white:
Do you have these skirts in grey?
dull greys and browns
III. grey3 BrE AmE British English, gray American English verb
[intransitive] if someone greys, their hair becomes grey:
Jim was greying a little at the temples.
a full head of greying hair

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

grey

grey [grey greys greyed greying greyer greyest] (especially BrE) (NAmE usually gray) adjective, noun, verb   [ɡreɪ]    [ɡreɪ] 

 

adjective
1. having the colour of smoke or ashes
• grey eyes/hair
• wisps of grey smoke

• a grey suit

2. not usually before noun having grey hair

• He's gone very grey.

3. (of the sky or weather) dull; full of clouds
• grey skies

• I hate these grey days.

4. (of a person's skin colour) pale and dull, because they are ill/sick, tired or sad

• The next morning she looked very grey and hollow-eyed.

5. without interest or variety; making you feel sad

• Life seems grey and pointless without him.

6. (disapproving) not interesting or attractive

• The company was full of faceless grey men who all looked the same.

7. only before noun connected with old people
• the grey vote
• grey power  
Word Origin:
Old English grǣg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch grauw and German grau.  
Example Bank:
• She was completely grey by the age of thirty.
• The sky looks very grey. I think it's going to rain.
• a light grey suit
• He'd turned quite grey.
• The old man's beard was mostly grey.
• His face was grey with pain.
• It is thought of as a city of grey bureaucracy.
• Ours is a company that isn't run by grey men in suits.
• She had to talk to some grey under-secretary from the Ministry.

Derived Word: greyness 

 

noun
1. uncountable, countable the colour of smoke or ashes
• the dull grey of the sky

• dressed in grey

2. countable a grey or white horse
• She's riding the grey.  
Word Origin:

Old English grǣg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch grauw and German grau.

 

verb intransitive (of hair)
to become grey
• His hair was greying at the sides.
• a tall woman with greying hair
 
Word Origin:

Old English grǣg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch grauw and German grau.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

grey ( US usually gray ) / ɡreɪ / adjective (COLOUR)

A1 of the colour that is a mixture of black and white, the colour of rain clouds:

a grey sky

C2 having hair that has become grey or white, usually because of age:

He started to go/turn grey in his mid-forties.

B2 describes the weather when there are a lot of clouds and little light:

Night turned into morning, grey and cold.

 

greyness ( US usually grayness ) / ˈɡreɪ.nəs / noun [ U ]

 

grey ( US usually gray ) / ɡreɪ / adjective (BORING)

C1 boring and sad:

He saw a grey future stretch ahead of him.

greyness ( US usually grayness ) / ˈɡreɪ.nəs / noun [ U ]

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

grey

/greɪ/
(greyer, greyest)

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

Note: in AM, use 'gray'

1.
Grey is the colour of ashes or of clouds on a rainy day.
...a grey suit.
COLOUR

2.
You use grey to describe the colour of people’s hair when it changes from its original colour, usually as they get old.
...my grey hair...
Eddie was going grey.
ADJ

3.
If the weather is grey, there are many clouds in the sky and the light is dull.
It was a grey, wet April Sunday.
ADJ
• grey‧ness
...winter’s greyness.
N-UNCOUNT

4.
If you describe a situation as grey, you mean that it is dull, unpleasant, or difficult.
Brazilians look gloomily forward to a New Year that even the president admits will be grey and cheerless.
= bleak
ADJ
• grey‧ness
In this new world of greyness there is an attempt to remove all risks.
N-UNCOUNT

5.
If you describe someone or something as grey, you think that they are boring and unattractive, and very similar to other things or other people.
...little grey men in suits.
ADJ [disapproval]
• grey‧ness
Journalists are frustrated by his apparent greyness.
N-UNCOUNT: with supp

6.
Journalists sometimes use grey to describe things concerning old people.
There was further evidence of grey consumer power last week, when Ford revealed a car designed with elderly people in mind.
ADJ

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1gray US or chiefly Brit grey /ˈgreɪ/ adj gray·er; -est
1 : having a color between black and white : having a color that is like the color of smoke
• a gray sweater/suit
• gray hair
2 : having gray hair
• What will you do when you are old and gray?
• My friends have all gone gray.
3 : lacking brightness: such as
a : cloudy and dark
• It was a gray winter day.
• a cold, gray dawn
b : very boring or ordinary
• leading a gray existence
c : having or showing little life or energy
• the gray faces of the people in the crowd
- gray·ness US or chiefly Brit grey·ness noun [noncount]
• the grayness of the dawn

American English
British English
A1 (Basic)
gray
adjective
0

black

black [adjective] (COLOUR)
US /blæk/ 
UK /blæk/ 
Example: 

a black and white photo

having the darkest colour, like coal or night

black - سیاه
Persian equivalent: 

Click here.

Example: 

a black and white photo

Theme, CEFR level & Tags

Theme: 
black and white and grey
Level: 
A1 (Basic)
Region: 
American English
British English
Related lesson(s): 
3C- Talking about clothes and possessions
درس مرتبط: 
3C- Talking about clothes and possessions

Oxford Essential Dictionary

adjective (blacker, blackest)

1 with the colour of the sky at night:
a black dog

2 belonging to a race of people with dark skins:
Martin Luther King was a famous black leader.

3 without milk:
black coffee

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

black

I. black1 S1 W1 /blæk/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative blacker, superlative blackest)
[Language: Old English; Origin: blæc]
1. COLOUR having the darkest colour, like coal or night:
a black evening dress
jet/inky black (=very dark)
jet black hair
2. NO LIGHT very dark because there is no light:
It was still pitch black (=very dark) out.
3. PEOPLE (also Black)
a) belonging to the race of people who originally came from Africa and who have dark brown skin ⇨ white:
Over half the students are black.
b) [only before noun] relating to black people:
politics from a black perspective
Black and Asian music
4. DRINK [only before noun] black coffee or tea does not have milk in it OPP white:
Black coffee, no sugar, please.
5. DIRTY informal very dirty
be black with soot/dirt/age etc
6. WITHOUT HOPE sad and without hope for the future:
the blackest period of European history
a mood of black despair
It’s been another black day for the car industry, with more job losses announced.
7. HUMOUR making jokes about serious subjects, especially death:
a very black joke
8. ANGRY [only before noun] full of feelings of anger or hate ⇨ blackly:
Denise gave me a black look.
9. a black mark (against somebody) if there is a black mark against you, someone has a bad opinion of you because of something you have done
10. not be as black as you are painted not to be as bad as people say you are
11. BAD literary very bad:
black deeds

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

black

black [black blacks blacked blacking blacker blackest] adjective, noun, verb   [blæk]    [blæk] 

 

adjective (black·er, black·est) 

COLOUR
1. having the very darkest colour, like night or coal
• a shiny black car

• black storm clouds  

WITH NO LIGHT

2. without light; completely dark

• a black night  

PEOPLE

3. (also Black) belonging to a race of people who have dark skin; connected with black people
• a black woman writer

• black culture  Black is the word most widely used and generally accepted in Britain. In the US the currently accepted term is African American.  

TEA/COFFEE

4. without milk
• Two black coffees, please.

compare  white  

DIRTY

5. very dirty; covered with dirt
• chimneys black with smoke

• Go and wash your hands; they're absolutely black!  

ANGRY

6. full of anger or hatred
• She's been in a really black mood all day.

• Rory shot her a black look.  

DEPRESSING

7. without hope; very depressing
• The future looks pretty black.

• It's been another black day for the north-east with the announcement of further job losses.  

EVIL

8. (literary) evil or immoral

• black deeds/lies  

HUMOUR

9. dealing with unpleasant or terrible things, such as murder, in a humorous way
• ‘Good place to bury the bodies,’ she joked with black humour.
• The play is a black comedy.
see also  blackly 
more at the pot calling the kettle black at  pot  n.  
Word Origin:
Old English blæc, of Germanic origin.  
Thesaurus:
black adj.
1.
• It's pitch black outside tonight.
dark • • unlit •
Opp: light
a black/dark night
go black/dark
pitch black/dark
2. (especially BrE)
• a black girl
African American • • non-white • • mixed race • |AmE of color •
black/African American/non-white/mixed race people
people of mixed race/color
black/African American culture
Black or African American? Black is the mostly widely used and accepted term in Britain; a black person from the US is African American. Black can also be used as a noun, but it is only acceptable in the plural. Use the adjective for singular use
• equality for blacks and whites
• a black man/woman
 
Example Bank:
• It was pitch black outside.
• She had beautiful jet-black hair.
• The sky looks very black.
• His hands were all black from messing with the car.
• He denounced these acts as ‘black deeds‘.
• It's been another black day for the north-east with the announcement of further job losses.
• My head banged on a rock and everything went black.
• The future looks pretty black, I'm afraid.
• The wind and rain intensified the black darkness outside.
• Through the black night came the sound of thunder.
• a black girl
• a black man/woman

• equality for blacks and whites

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

black / blæk / adjective (COLOUR)

A1 having the darkest colour there is, like the colour of coal or of a very dark night:

black shoes
 

black / blæk / adjective (PEOPLE)

Black A2 relating or belonging to people with black or dark brown skin, especially people who live in Africa or whose family originally came from Africa:

Black culture

Black Americans

 

black / blæk / adjective (COFFEE/TEA)

without any milk or cream added:

a cup of strong black coffee

I like my tea black, with sugar.

 

black / blæk / adjective (BAD)

without hope:

The future looked black.

literary bad or evil:

a black-hearted villain

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

black

/blæk/
(blacker, blackest, blacks, blacking, blacked)

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.

1.
Something that is black is of the darkest colour that there is, the colour of the sky at night when there is no light at all.
She was wearing a black coat with a white collar...
He had thick black hair...
I wear a lot of black...
He was dressed all in black.
COLOUR

2.
A black person belongs to a race of people with dark skins, especially a race from Africa.
He worked for the rights of black people...
...the traditions of the black community.
ADJ

3.
Black people are sometimes referred to as blacks. This use could cause offence.
There are about thirty-one million blacks in the US.
N-COUNT: usu pl

4.
Black coffee or tea has no milk or cream added to it.
A cup of black tea or black coffee contains no calories...
I drink coffee black.
ADJ: ADJ n, v n ADJ

5.
If you describe a situation as black, you are emphasizing that it is very bad indeed.
It was, he said later, one of the blackest days of his political career...
The future for the industry looks even blacker.
ADJ [emphasis]

6.
If someone is in a black mood, they feel very miserable and depressed.
Her mood was blacker than ever.
ADJ

7.
Black humour involves jokes about sad or difficult situations.
‘So you can all go over there and get shot,’ he said, with the sort of black humour common among British troops here...
It’s a black comedy of racial prejudice, mistaken identity and thwarted expectations.
ADJ: usu ADJ n

8.
People who believe in black magic believe that it is possible to communicate with evil spirits.
He was also alleged to have conducted black magic ceremonies...
The King was unjustly accused of practising the black arts.
ADJ: ADJ n

9.
If you say that someone is black and blue, you mean that they are badly bruised.
Whenever she refused, he’d beat her black and blue...
Bud’s nose was still black and blue.
PHRASE: usu PHR after v, v-link PHR

10.
If a person or an organization is in the black, they do not owe anyone any money.
Until his finances are in the black I don’t want to get married.
≠ in the red
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v

11.
If someone gives you a black look, they look at you in a way that shows that they are very angry about something.
Passing my stall, she cast black looks at the amount of stuff still unsold.
PHRASE: N inflects, usu PHR after v

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1black /ˈblæk/ adj black·er; -est
1 a : having the very dark color of coal or the night sky
• black ink
• a black dress
b : very dark because there is no light
• a black night
2 or Black : of or relating to a race of people who have dark skin and who come originally from Africa
• black people
• black culture
✦In the U.S., the term African-American is often preferred over black when referring to Americans of African descent.
3 : very dirty
• His hand were black with grime.
4 : served without cream or milk
• black coffee
5 literary : evil or wicked
• a black deed
- see also black art, black magic
6 a : very sad or hopeless : bleak
• The outlook was black.
• When they heard the terrible news, they were filled with black despair.
b : very tragic or unhappy
• That was a black day in our country's history.
7 : marked by anger or hatred
• A black [=very angry] look darkened his face.
• black resentment
• a black mood
8
- used to describe humor that deals with subjects which are usually regarded as very serious or unpleasant
• The film is a black comedy set in a funeral home.
• black humor
- black·ly adv
• a blackly funny/comic/humorous movie
- black·ness noun [noncount]
• the blackness of the night

American English
British English
A1 (Basic)
adjective
0

white

white [adjective] (COLOUR)
US /waɪt/ 
UK /waɪt/ 
Example: 

a white dress

COLOUR having the colour of milk, salt, or snow

white - سفید
Persian equivalent: 

Click here.

Example: 

a white dress

Theme, CEFR level & Tags

Theme: 
black and white and grey
Level: 
A1 (Basic)
Region: 
American English
British English

Oxford Essential Dictionary

adjective (whiter, whitest)

1 with the colour of snow or milk:
He wore a white shirt and a blue tie.

2 with pale skin

3 (British) White coffee is made with milk:
I'd like a white coffee.

4 White wine is wine with a light colour.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

white

I. white1 S1 W1 /waɪt/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑white, ↑whiteness, ↑whitener; verb: ↑whiten; adjective: ↑white]
[Language: Old English; Origin: hwit]
1. COLOUR having the colour of milk, salt, or snow:
a white dress
pure/snow white (=completely white)
snow white hair
2. PEOPLE
a) belonging to the race of people with pale skin ⇨ black:
young white males
b) relating to white people:
a white neighborhood
3. PALE looking pale, because of illness, strong emotion etc:
Are you OK? You’re white as a sheet (=extremely pale).
white with anger/fear etc
Her voice shook, and her face was white with anger.
4. COFFEE [usually before noun] British English white coffee has milk or cream in it
5. WINE white wine is a pale yellow colour ⇨ red
6. a white Christmas a Christmas when there is snow
7. whiter than white completely morally good:

He said that he had never claimed to be whiter than white.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

white

white [white whites whited whiting whiter whitest] adjective, noun   [waɪt]    [waɪt] 

adjective (whiter, whit·est)
1. having the colour of fresh snow or of milk
• a crisp white shirt
• white bread
• a set of perfect white teeth
• His hair was as white as snow.

• The horse was almost pure white in colour.

2. belonging to or connected with a race of people who have pale skin
• white middle-class families

• She writes about her experiences as a black girl in a predominantly white city.

3. (of the skin) pale because of emotion or illness
• white with shock

• She went white as a sheet when she heard the news.

4. (BrE) (of tea or coffee) with milk added
• Two white coffees, please.
• Do you take your coffee black or white?
compare  black  
Word Origin:
late Old English hwīt, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wit and German weiss, also to wheat.  
Example Bank:
• He looked red-eyed and white-faced, slightly fearful and anxious.

• She went as white as a sheet when she heard the news.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

white / waɪt / adjective (COLOUR)

A1 of a colour like that of snow, milk, or bone:

a white T-shirt

white walls

a black and white dog

He's white-haired now.

"How do you like your coffee?" "White (= with milk or cream) and no sugar, please."

C2 having a pale face because you are not well, or you are feeling shocked:

She was white, and her lips were pale.

A2 used in the names of various food and drink products, many of which are not pure white but slightly cream, yellow, grey, or transparent:

white bread

white chocolate

white flour

white sugar

 

whiteness / ˈwaɪt.nəs / noun [ U ]

the quality of being white
 

white / waɪt / adjective (PEOPLE)

B1 of a person who has skin that is pale in colour:

He had a black mother and a white father.

a predominantly white neighbourhood

 

whiteness / ˈwaɪt.nəs / noun [ U ]

the quality of being white

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

white

/(h)waɪt/
(whiter, whitest, whites)

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.

1.
Something that is white is the colour of snow or milk.
He had nice square white teeth...
He was dressed in white from head to toe.
COLOUR
• white‧ness
Her scarlet lipstick emphasized the whiteness of her teeth.
N-UNCOUNT

2.
A white person has a pale skin and belongs to a race which is of European origin.
He was white, with brown shoulder-length hair and a moustache.
ADJ
•
Whites are white people.
It’s a school that’s brought blacks and whites and Hispanics together.
N-COUNT: usu pl

3.
If someone goes white, the skin on their face becomes very pale, for example because of fear, shock, anger, or illness.
Richard had gone very white, but he stood his ground...
His face was white with fury.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
•
If someone looks white as a sheet or as white as a sheet, they look very frightened, shocked, or ill.
He appeared in the doorway, white as a sheet, eyes wide with horror.
PHRASE: v-link PHR

4.
White wine is pale yellow in colour.
Gregory poured another glass of white wine and went back to his bedroom.
ADJ
•
You can refer to white wine as white.
I bought a bottle of Californian white.
N-MASS

5.
White coffee has had milk or cream added to it. (BRIT)
Wayne has a large white coffee in front of him.
ADJ

6.
White blood cells are the cells in your blood which your body uses to fight infection.
ADJ: ADJ n

7.
The white of an egg is the transparent liquid that surrounds the yellow part called the yolk.
N-VAR

8.
The white of someone’s eye is the white part that surrounds the coloured part called the iris.
N-COUNT: usu N of n

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

1white /ˈwaɪt/ adj whit·er; -est
1 a : having the color of fresh snow or milk
• He was wearing white sneakers.
• a white T-shirt/blouse
• white socks
• white lilies
• puffy white clouds
• white hair
• He had a long, white beard.
• white rice
b : light or pale in color
• Her lips were white with fear.
• He turned white when he heard the news.
- see also snow-white
2 : of or relating to a race of people who have light-colored skin and who come originally from Europe
• The suspect was a white [=Caucasian] male.
• He came from a white middle-class background.
• His mother is Hispanic and his father is white.
3 US : not having anything written or printed on it
• There was too much white [=empty, blank] space on the page.
4 Brit : served with cream or milk
• white coffee/tea
a white Christmas : a Christmas when there is snow on the ground or when it is snowing
• We were hoping for a white Christmas.
- white·ness /ˈwaɪtnəs/ noun [noncount]
- whit·ish /ˈwaɪtɪʃ/ adj
• whitish hair

American English
British English
A1 (Basic)
adjective
Subscribe to RSS - black and white and grey

Copyright © LingoTies.com 2017. All rights Reserved.