blue

Everyday

1. Blue is the color of a clear sky or the sea. tree →
2. Feeling blue means feeling sad. tree →
3. Blues is a kind of slow, sad music. tree →
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 →
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 →
6. (rude) «Blue» jokes or language are rude or about sex, not for children; «turn the air blue» means swear a lot. tree →
7. (formal) Exams and science say «azure», «navy», «cobalt», «of a blue hue» and «a cyan pigment». tree →

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 →
• Half of the balloons are blue. tree →
• How many more blue beads than green beads? tree →
• The sky is blue on a sunny day. tree →
• Mix blue and yellow to make green. tree →
• He felt blue when his friend moved away. tree →
• The blue whale is the biggest animal. tree →
• The letter came out of the blue. tree →
• We visit the beach once in a blue moon. tree →
• Mum and Dad had a blue about the 50-dollar bill. tree →
• You can shout till you're blue in the face, it's still 12. tree →
• A container holds 6 items of a blue hue and 4 of a red hue. State the fraction that is blue. tree →

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 →
• And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. (Torah EXO.28.31, JPS 1917) tree →
• And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; (Torah EXO.39.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• clothed with blue, governors and rulers, handsome young men all of them, horsemen riding upon horses. (Prophets EZK.23.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• 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 →
• 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 →

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»).