Showing results for "blues"

• plural of blue.
• present tense form of blue (3rd person singular).

Jump To:

• blues
  blues

  noun

  the blues, depressed spirits; despondency; melancholy.
• Blues
  Blues

  plural noun

  the Royal Horse Guards

blues

¹ American  

[blooz] / bluz /

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) the blues, depressed spirits; despondency; melancholy.

   This rainy spell is giving me the blues.

2. (used with a singular verb)

   1. a song, originating with African Americans, that is marked by the frequent occurrence of blue notes, and that takes the basic form, customarily improvised upon in performance, of a 12-bar chorus consisting of a 3-line stanza with the second line repeating the first.

   2. the genre constituting such songs.

---

blues ² American  

[blooz] / bluz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. any of various blue military uniforms worn by members of the U.S. armed services.

   dress blues.

2. a blue uniform for work; blue work clothes.

   a doctor in surgical blues.

3. Informal. police.

   The blues keep this neighborhood safe.

---

Blues ¹ British  

/ bluːz /

plural noun

1. the Royal Horse Guards

---

blues ² British  

/ bluːz /

plural noun

1. a feeling of depression or deep unhappiness

2. a type of folk song devised by Black Americans at the beginning of the 20th century, usually employing a basic 12-bar chorus, the tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords, frequent minor intervals, and blue notes

---

blues Cultural  

1. A kind of jazz that evolved from the music of African-Americans, especially work songs and spirituals (see also spirituals), in the early twentieth century. Blues pieces often express worry or depression.

---

blues Idioms  

1. see have the blues.

---

Other Word Forms

• bluesy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of blues¹

First recorded in 1740–50; cf. blue (in the sense “depressed in spirits; dejected; melancholy”)

Origin of blues²

see origin at blue, -s ³

Explanation

If you've got the blues, you probably want to lie in bed and cry — or get out your guitar and sadly sing the blues. Since the fourteenth century, the word blue has been used to mean "sad." The noun blues came into use in the 1700s to describe a state of sadness or melancholy. Around a hundred years later, a Black American musical genre adopted the word to describe its particular twelve-bar chord progression and folksy sound. Lyrics in blues music often describe hard times, struggles, and a particular kind of melancholy mood.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blues Blues

Hip-hop is their common language, but Robinson is also fluent in blues and spirituals while Quijada speaks forcefully through Mexican folk rhythms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

And on the twangy blues number “Ringing Hollow,” Mr. Jagger notes that “Lady Liberty don’t look so good / When she’s wearing a frown.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

There were some more positive voices, including Variety's Owen Gleiberman, external, who said it "escapes the remake blues - in fact it soars above them".

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

It was already after midnight—Sunday morning, July 8—when Ellington launched “Diminuendo and Crescendo” with a few blues choruses of his own on piano.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

His ornate turban changed colors, the folds cycling through peacock blues and sherbet oranges and butter yellows, while its tiny diamonds caught the moonlight.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Les Blues came from behind to win 3-1 when they met in the last 16 in 2006.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Maresca left Chelsea on New Year's Day, departing less than six months after winning the Club World Cup, but City have reached a compensation agreement with the Blues to bring their former assistant back.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

He has also had a prolific television career, with recurring roles in standards including "Hill Street Blues" and "ER."

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

Blues rock songs are supposed to be sad, but was this one ever wrong.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Modal melodies, revivalist spirituals, the call-and-response or ‘holler’ songs of African slaves: all of these went into the mixing pot of the early Blues.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall