red

Syllabification: (red)

Pronunciation: /red/

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Definition of red

adjective (redder, reddest)

1of a color at the end of the spectrum next to orange and opposite violet, as of blood, fire, or rubies:her red lips the sky was turning red outside
(of a person or their face or complexion) flushed or rosy, especially with embarrassment, anger, or a healthy glow:there were some red faces at headquarters
(of a person’s eyes) bloodshot or having pink rims, especially with tiredness or crying:her eyes were red and swollen
(of hair or fur) of a reddish-brown color.
dated, offensive (of a people) having or regarded as having reddish skin.
of or denoting the suits hearts and diamonds in a deck of cards.
(of wine) made from dark grapes and colored by their skins.
denoting a red light or flag used as a signal to stop.
used to denote something forbidden, dangerous, or urgent:the force went on red alert
(of a ski run) of the second highest level of difficulty, as indicated by colored markers.
Physics denoting one of three colors of quark.

2 (Red) informal, chiefly derogatory communist or socialist (used especially during the Cold War with reference to the former Soviet Union).

3 archaic or literary stained with blood, or involving bloodshed or violence:red battle stamps his foot and nations feel the shock

noun

1red color or pigment:colors range from yellow to deep red their work is marked in red by the teacher the reds and browns of wood
red clothes or material:she could not wear red

2a red thing or person, in particular.
a red wine.
a red ball in billiards.
a red light.

3 (also Red) informal, chiefly derogatory a communist or socialist.

Phrases

better dead than red (or better red than dead): a cold-war slogan claiming that the prospect of nuclear war is preferable to that of a communist society (or vice versa).
(as) red as a beet: (of a person) red-faced, typically through embarrassment.
in the red: (of a person or organization) owing money; insolvent.
[from the conventional use of red to indicate debt items]
red in tooth and claw: involving savage or merciless conflict or competition:nature, red in tooth and claw
[from Tennyson's In Memoriam]
the red planet: a name for Mars.
the red, white, and blue: informal the US national flag:learning respect for the red, white, and blue
see red: informal become very angry suddenly:the mere thought of Peter with Nicole made her see red

Derivatives

reddish
reddy
redly
redness

Origin:

Old English rēad, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rood and German rot, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin rufus, ruber, Greek eruthros, and Sanskrit rudhira- 'red'

red in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of red in the British & World English dictionary

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Other

red

adjective (redder, reddest)

noun

Phrases

better dead than red (or better red than dead)

(as) red as a beet

in the red

red in tooth and claw

the red planet

the red, white, and blue

see red

Derivatives

reddish

reddy

redly

redness

Origin:

red in other Oxford dictionaries

Nearby words

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