red

[ red ]

/ rɛd /

noun

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.

something red.

(often initial capital letter)Older Slang: Usually Disparaging. a radical leftist in politics, especially a Communist.

Informal. red light (def. 1).

Informal. red wine: a glass of red.

Also called red bird, red devil, 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, red·der, red·dest.

of the color red.

having distinctive areas or markings of red: a red robin.

of or indicating a state of financial loss or indebtedness: the red column in the ledger.

Older Slang: Usually Disparaging.

radically left politically.
(often initial capital letter) communist: Red China.

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

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Idioms for red

in the red, operating at a loss or being in debt (opposed to in the black): The newspaper strike put many businesses in the red.

paint the town red. paint (def. 16).

see red, Informal. to become very angry; become enraged: Snobs make her see red.

Origin of red

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

OTHER WORDS FROM red

red·ly, adverb

Definition for red (2 of 5)

red²

[ red ]

/ rɛd /

verb (used with object), red, red·ding.

redd¹.

Definition for red (3 of 5)

Red

[ red ]

/ rɛd /

noun

a male or female given name.

a nickname typically given to someone with red hair.

Definition for red (4 of 5)

red-

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

Definition for red (5 of 5)

-red

a native English suffix, denoting condition, formerly used in the formation of nouns: hatred; kindred.

Origin of -red

Middle English -rede,Old English -rǣden

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

British Dictionary definitions for red (1 of 3)

red¹

/ (rɛd) /

noun

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 greenRelated adjectives: rubicund, ruddy

a pigment or dye of or producing these colours

red cloth or clothingdressed in red

a red ball in snooker, billiards, etc

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

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

in the red informal in debit; owing money

see red informal to become very angry

adjective redder or reddest

of the colour red

reddish in colour or having parts or marks that are reddishred hair; red deer

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

(of the complexion) rosy; florid

(of the eyes) bloodshot

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

bloody or violentred revolution

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

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

US relating to, supporting, or representing the Republican PartyCompare blue (def. 24)

verb reds, redding or redded

another word for redden

Derived forms of red

redly, adverbredness, noun

Word Origin for red

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

British Dictionary definitions for red (2 of 3)

red²

/ (rɛd) /

verb reds, redding, red or redded

(tr) a variant spelling of redd 1

British Dictionary definitions for red (3 of 3)

Red

/ (rɛd) informal /

adjective

Communist, Socialist, or Soviet

radical, leftist, or revolutionary

noun

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

a radical, leftist, or revolutionary

Word Origin for Red

C19: from the colour chosen to symbolize revolutionary socialism

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with red

red

In addition to the idioms beginning with red

red carpet
red cent
red herring
red in the face, be
red tape

also see:

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

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red