[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/blue/)

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# blue

adjective (blue, bluer, bluest); noun (blue, blues; Australian slang: a blue — a fight or a mistake)

«blue» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Blue is the color of a clear sky or the sea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m1)
2. Feeling blue means feeling sad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m2)
3. Blues is a kind of slow, sad music. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m3)
4. (casual) «Out of the blue» means suddenly; «once in a blue moon» means very rarely; «until you're blue in the face» means for a long time with no result. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m4)
5. (Australia, NZ slang) A blue is a fight or a mistake: «they had a blue»; «Bluey» is a nickname for a red-haired person. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m5)
6. (rude) «Blue» jokes or language are rude or about sex, not for children; «turn the air blue» means swear a lot. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m6)
7. (formal) Exams and science say «azure», «navy», «cobalt», «of a blue hue» and «a cyan pigment». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#m7)

### In the lessons

a color that sorts things into groups to count or compare; blue is a primary color; phrases «out of the blue» (suddenly, without warning), «once in a blue moon» (very rarely), «feel blue», «blue whale», «blue ribbon» (first prize); in casual talk «feeling a bit blue», «they had a blue» (Australia, a fight), «true blue» (Australia: loyal, real); in rough talk «he turned the air blue when he dropped the 3 eggs» (swore a lot); in the exam voice «counters of a blue hue», «the fraction of blue items», «azure»

### Examples

- The bag has 6 blue marbles and 4 red ones. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x1)
- Half of the balloons are blue. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x2)
- How many more blue beads than green beads? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x3)
- The sky is blue on a sunny day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x4)
- Mix blue and yellow to make green. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x5)
- He felt blue when his friend moved away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x6)
- The blue whale is the biggest animal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x7)
- The letter came out of the blue. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x8)
- We visit the beach once in a blue moon. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x9)
- Mum and Dad had a blue about the 50-dollar bill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x10)
- You can shout till you're blue in the face, it's still 12. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x11)
- A container holds 6 items of a blue hue and 4 of a red hue. State the fraction that is blue. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/#x12)

### Note

Sorts things into groups. Trap: the blue ones are a part; the whole is the sum of all colors. «of a blue hue» in an exam just means blue. «a blue» in Australian slang is a fight, not a color. «Blue» sounds like «blew» (past of «blow»).

## In Jewish tradition

Here blue is a dye used for the tabernacle cloths and the priest's robe. It is a holy colour.

**Interpretation.** Tradition calls it tekhelet, made from a sea creature, and tied into the fringes of the garments so that people remember the commandments. Its colour is said to recall the sea, the sky and God's throne.

### Examples

- and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair; (Torah EXO.25.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/#x1)
- And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. (Torah EXO.28.31, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/#x2)
- And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; (Torah EXO.39.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/#x3)
- clothed with blue, governors and rulers, handsome young men all of them, horsemen riding upon horses. (Prophets EZK.23.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/#x4)
- And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim thereon. (Writings 2CH.3.14, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/#x5)
- These were thy traffickers in gorgeous fabrics, in wrappings of blue and richly woven work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords and cedar-lined, among thy merchandise. (Prophets EZK.27.24, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/#x6)

### Note

Sorts things into groups. Trap: the blue ones are a part; the whole is the sum of all colors. «of a blue hue» in an exam just means blue. «a blue» in Australian slang is a fight, not a color. «Blue» sounds like «blew» (past of «blow»).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «blue» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/blue/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«blue» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/blue.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «blue» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/blue/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«blue» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/blue.html) on Mova free.