colours

1. 1
   shadesnoun

   Plural of colour. Use it when you talk about more than one colour.

   Mix the two colours together to make green.

   In autumn, the leaves turn red, orange and other bright colours.

2. 2
   team kitnoun

   The special kit, badge or colours worn to show which team, club, school or owner someone is with.

   He was proud to play in his school colours for the first time.

   The jockey wore the owner's colours: a red shirt with white stars.

   UsageOften in someone's colours: he played in the club's colours.

   Similarkit, strip, silks

3. 3
   verb

   Third-person singular present of colour. Use it after he, she, it or one person or thing.

   She colours her hair every few months.

   My son colours very neatly for a four-year-old.

   UsageIn cooking, food colours when it turns brown or golden.

4. 4
   ship's flagnoun

   On a ship, the flag at the back that shows which country the ship comes from.

   The ship raised its colours as it came into the harbour.

   At sunset the sailors lowered the colours.

   UsageOften in phrases: to nail your colours to the mast is to say clearly what you believe.

   Note

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