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• blue-rinse
  blue-rinse

  adjective

  of, for, or composed mostly of elderly women.
• blue rinse
  blue rinse

  noun

  a rinse for tinting grey hair a silvery-blue colour

blue-rinse

American  

[bloo-rins] / ˈbluˌrɪns /

adjective

1. of, for, or composed mostly of elderly women.

   the blue-rinse matinee audience.

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blue rinse British  

noun

1. a rinse for tinting grey hair a silvery-blue colour

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adjective

1. denoting or typifying an elderly, well-groomed, socially active, and comparatively wealthy woman

Etymology

Origin of blue-rinse

First recorded in 1975–80; so called from the bluish tinge produced by certain rinses used on gray hair

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blue-rinse blue rinse

“We taped it at about 6 in the morning, and the studio audience was full of elderly ladies with blue-rinse hair,” Miller recalls.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 28, 2021

In Britain her battles with the left—especially the miners—gave her a reputation as a blue-rinse Boadicea.

From Economist ● Apr. 8, 2013

This effectively meant that Foaly could tune the bio-bomb to blue-rinse only Fowl Manor and not one blade of grass more, plus the building would be radiation-free in under a minute.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

In a couple of weeks, I’m going to have some lavender put in with the white, and I’ll finally have a blue rinse, just like those old ladies I remember.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 26, 2015

"As rock and roll as a blue rinse," was the the Sun's more recent take.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 15, 2012

His return was for the blue rinse and double-knit set.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 15, 2012

Holly sighed, turning away from the already dwindling blue rinse.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer