amber

Pluralambers

Formsambers, ambering, ambered

1. 1
   golden brownadjective

   Having a warm brownish-yellow color, like honey.

   Like the warm yellow color of honey.

   She painted the walls a warm amber shade.

   The streetlight cast an amber glow over the road.

   Similargolden, tawny

2. 2
   fossil resinnouncountable or uncountable

   A hard, clear yellow-brown material formed from very old tree sap, often used to make jewelry.

   Like honey that has gone hard as glass, with bugs sometimes stuck inside.

   She wore a necklace made of polished amber.

   A small insect was trapped inside the piece of amber.

   UsageSay in amber for something trapped inside it.

   Note
3. 3
   a golden shadenouncountable or uncountable

   A warm color between yellow and orange.

   Like the color of honey or a glass of apple juice.

   The sky turned a deep amber as the sun went down.

   Her eyes were a soft amber.

4. 4
   traffic lightnounAustraliaBritishcountable or uncountable

   The middle light in a set of traffic lights, telling drivers to stop when it is safe to do so.

   Like a warning that the door is about to close.

   When the amber came on, she slowed down and stopped at the line.

   Drivers should stop on amber if they can do so safely.

   UsageSay on amber: drivers stop on amber.

   Similaryellow

   Note
5. 5
   cautious approvalnoununcountable

   Partial permission to move ahead, given with caution rather than a full go-ahead.

   Like a coach saying you can go, but you should watch out.

   Management gave the plan an amber, so we moved ahead carefully.

   Her reply was an amber: not a no, but not a clear yes either.

   Similarcaution

   Note
6. 6
   geneticsnouncountable or uncountable

   A signal in genetic code, written UAG, that tells a cell to stop building a protein.

   Like a period that ends a sentence too soon, cutting it short.

   The gene carried an amber that stopped the protein too early.

   Scientists changed one letter of the code to create an amber.

   Note

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