red

¹

[red]

noun

1. any of various colors resembling the color of blood; the primary color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nanometers.

2. something red.

3. Older Slang: Usually Disparaging.,  Often Red a radical leftist in politics, especially a Communist.

4. Informal.,  red light.

5. Informal.,  red wine.

   a glass of red.

6. Also called red devil. Also called red bird,. Also called red doll. Slang.,  a capsule of the drug secobarbital, usually red in color.

   He was caught with a half dozen reds in the bottom of his pack of cigarettes.

adjective

redder, reddest 

1. of the color red; of or like the color of blood.

   a red rose.

2. reddish purple in color.

   red wine made from purple grapes.

3. orange, golden brown, or reddish brown in color.

   red hair.

4. having distinctive areas or markings of red.

   a red robin.

5. bloodshot.

   red eyes from allergies.

6. (of the face) flushed or blushing, as from shame.

   cheeks red with embarrassment.

7. of or indicating a state of financial loss or indebtedness.

   the red column in the ledger.

8. Politics.,  relating to, supporting, or belonging to the Republican Party in the United States; Republican.

   This is big news in that it flips a red Senate seat to blue.

9. Older Slang: Usually Disparaging.

   1. radically left politically.

   2. Often Red communist.

      Red China.

10. Older Use: Disparaging and Offensive.,  relating to, noting, or characteristic of North American Indian peoples.

red

²

[red]

verb (used with object)

red, redding 

1. redd.

Red

³

[red]

noun

1. a male or female given name.

2. a nickname typically given to someone with red hair.

red-

⁴

1. variant of re- before a vowel or h in some words.

   redintegrate.

-red

⁵

1. a native English suffix, denoting condition, formerly used in the formation of nouns.

   hatred; kindred.

red

¹

/ rɛd /

noun

1. any of a group of colours, such as that of a ripe tomato or fresh blood, that lie at one end of the visible spectrum, next to orange, and are perceived by the eye when light in the approximate wavelength range 740–620 nanometres falls on the retina. Red is the complementary colour of cyan and forms a set of primary colours with blue and green

2. a pigment or dye of or producing these colours

3. red cloth or clothing

   dressed in red

4. a red ball in snooker, billiards, etc

5. (in roulette and other gambling games) one of two colours on which players may place even bets, the other being black

6. Also called: inner. archery a red ring on a target, between the blue and the gold, scoring seven points

7. informal,  in debit; owing money

8. informal,  to become very angry

adjective

1. of the colour red

2. reddish in colour or having parts or marks that are reddish

   red hair

   red deer

3. having the face temporarily suffused with blood, being a sign of anger, shame, etc

4. (of the complexion) rosy; florid

5. (of the eyes) bloodshot

6. (of the hands) stained with blood, as after committing murder

7. bloody or violent

   red revolution

8. (of wine) made from black grapes and coloured by their skins

9. denoting the highest degree of urgency in an emergency; used by the police and the army and informally (esp in the phrase red alert )

10. relating to, supporting, or representing the Republican Party Compare blue

verb

1. another word for redden

Red

²

/ rɛd /

adjective

1. Communist, Socialist, or Soviet

2. radical, leftist, or revolutionary

noun

1. a member or supporter of a Communist or Socialist Party or a national of a state having such a government, esp the former Soviet Union

2. a radical, leftist, or revolutionary

red

³

/ rɛd /

verb

1. (tr) a variant spelling of redd 1

Other Word Forms

• redly adverb
• redness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of red¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English red, Old English rēad; cognate with German rot, Dutch rood, Old Norse raudhr, Latin rūfus, ruber, Greek erythrós; rubella, rufescent, erythro-

Origin of red²

Middle English -rede, Old English -rǣden

Word History and Origins

Origin of red¹

Old English rēad ; compare Old High German rōt , Gothic rauths , Latin ruber , Greek eruthros , Sanskrit rohita

Origin of red²

C19: from the colour chosen to symbolize revolutionary socialism

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. see red, to become very angry; become enraged.

   Snobs make her see red.

2. paint the town red. paint.

3. in the red, operating at a loss or being in debt (in the black ).

   The newspaper strike put many businesses in the red.

More idioms and phrases containing red

• catch red-handed
• in the red
• not worth a dime (red cent)
• paint the town red
• see red

Example Sentences

“If there is a reasonable conservative Democrat,” this person said, “they could get elected, except in the deepest of red districts, and even that could change.”

From Salon

The second incident led to a scare because Leclerc passed a Sauber just after a red flag was thrown because of gravel on track, despite braking as hard as he could.

From BBC

Sky-watchers across the UK can look forward to a stunning spectacle on Sunday evening when a total lunar eclipse will turn the full Moon red.

From BBC

"The red card helped, but I think it was a decision that was merited," O'Neill said.

From BBC

With its stage balcony, ceiling fans and rows of steel chairs with red cushions, the hall carried the vibe of an old single-screen theatre.

From BBC

Related Words

• cardinal 
• coral 
• crimson 
• flaming 
• glowing 
• maroon 
• rose 
• wine