collocations.org

Collocations for colour - noun

1. quality that makes sth red, etc.

ADJECTIVE

bold, bright, brilliant, glowing, iridescent, vibrant, vivid
dark, deep
Dark colours suit you best.
intense, lush (esp. AmE), rich, saturated, strong
the intense colour of new leaves
faded, light, muted, pale, pastel, soft, subdued, subtle
dull
garish, gaudy, loud, lurid
autumn (esp. BrE), autumnal, earthy, fall (AmE), warm
cool
cool colours like blue and gray
sombre/somber
attractive, beautiful, lovely
good
Green is a good colour on you.
complementary, contrasting
matching
basic
primary, secondary
indeterminate, neutral
natural
blue, red, etc.
The curtains went a strange orange colour when we washed them.
bluish, reddish, etc.
pure, solid, uniform
Simple patterns and solid colours are particularly effective.
full
a 48-page reference section in full colour
a 24-page full-colour booklet
eye, hair, skin
What is her natural hair colour?

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… OF COLOUR/COLOR

dash, flash, splash
mass, riot
The garden is a riot of colour in spring.
spot, touch

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VERB + colour/color

change
The chameleon changes colour to match its surroundings.
add
The silk cushions add colour to an otherwise dull room.
match
Your shirt matches the colour of your eyes.
wear
I like to wear bright colours.

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colour/color + VERB

match (sth)
clash
fade
run
This colour runs, so wash the shirt separately.
range from …
The leaf colour ranges from dark green to almost brown.

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colour/color + NOUN

combination, range, scheme
We have to choose a colour scheme for the dining room.
palette
code, coding
illustration, photograph, photography, picture, plate, printing, reproduction
monitor, printer, screen, television

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PREPOSITION

in colour
The flowers are pale blue in colour.
Is the film in colour or black and white?
The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour.
in a colour
The scarf is available in six different colours.

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PHRASES

a combination of colours, a range of colours

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2. of a person's skin

colour/color + NOUN

bar (BrE), barrier (AmE)

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PREPOSITION

of colour (esp. AmE)
people of colour

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PHRASES

on the basis of colour, on (the) grounds of colour
to discriminate on the basis of colour

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3. redness in the face

ADJECTIVE

heightened, high
You could tell she was excited by the heightened colour in her cheeks.
faint

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VERB + colour/color

have
You have a little more colour in your cheeks now.
bring
The walk brought colour to her face.
be drained of, drain of, lose
His face drained of all colour.

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colour/color + VERB

flood sth, rise, rush
Colour flooded her cheeks.
The colour rose in his face.
I could feel the colour rush to my cheeks.
drain
The colour drained from her face when she saw him.
come back, return
Gradually the colour returned to his cheeks.

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4. interesting or exciting details

ADJECTIVE

local
a journalist in search of a bit of local colour

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VERB + colour

add, give sth, lend
His asides lent colour to the story.

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PHRASES

full of colour

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Collocations for colour - verb

ADVERB

heavily, strongly
His opinions are heavily coloured by his own experiences.
naturally

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