colouring

Pluralcolourings

1. 1
   painting processnouncountable or uncountable

   The act of putting colour on something.

   The colouring of the poster took us all morning.

   The colouring is done by hand, so every card looks a little different.

   UsageChildren do colouring or colouring in, often in a colouring book.

   Similartinting, painting

2. 2
   shades it hasnouncountable or uncountable

   The colours that a person, animal or thing has.

   With her red hair and pale skin, she has her father's colouring.

   The bird's bright colouring makes it easy to spot in the hedge.

   UsagePeople have fair or dark colouring. For the skin of the face, say complexion.

   Similarpigmentation, complexion, markings

3. 3
   dyenouncountable or uncountable

   Something you add to food or other things to change their colour.

   Add a few drops of red food colouring to the icing.

   This fizzy drink has no artificial colourings.

   UsageSay a few drops of food colouring. On labels, colourings means kinds of it.

   Similardye, colourant

4. 4
   verb

   Present participle and gerund of colour. Use it after 'is', 'are' or 'was', or as the name of the activity.

   The children are colouring their pictures at the kitchen table.

   Her face was colouring as she read the note out loud.

   UsageWithout an object it can mean changing colour: the leaves are colouring; her face is colouring (going red). It can also mean adding colour to pictures: the children are colouring.

5. 5
   adjective

   Giving colour to something.

   Note

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