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Definition: Blue |
BlueAdjective1. Having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky; "October's bright blue weather"- Helen Hunt Jackson; "a blue flame"; "blue haze of tobacco smoke". 2. Used to signify the Union forces in the Civil War (who wore blue uniforms); "a ragged blue line". 3. Wearing blue; "the painting is called `the blue boy'"; "the blue team". 4. Low in spirits; "lonely and blue in a strange city"; "depressed by the loss of his job"; "a dispirited and resigned expression on her face"; "downcast after his defeat"; "feeling discouraged and downhearted". 5. Characterized by profanity or cursing; "foul-mouthed and blasphemous"; "blue language"; "profane words". 6. Suggestive of sexual impropriety; "a blue movie"; "blue jokes"; "he skips asterisks and gives you the gamy details"; "a juicy scandal"; "a naughty wink"; "naughty words"; "racy anecdotes"; "a risque story"; "spicy gossip". 7. Belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; "an aristocratic family"; "aristocratic Bostonians"; "aristocratic government"; "a blue family"; "blue blood"; "the blue-blooded aristocracy"; "of gentle blood"; "patrician landholders of the American South"; "aristocratic bearing"; "aristocratic features"; "patrician tastes". 8. Morally rigorous and strict; "blue laws"; "the puritan work ethic"; "puritanic distaste for alcohol"; "she was anything but puritanical in her behavior". 9. Tinged with blue or purple from cold or contusion; "the children's lips are blue from cold"; "a blue bruise". 10. : characterized by or marked with a bluish color; "a blue fox"; "the great blue whale"; "a blue spruce". 11. : causing dejection; "a blue day"; "the dark days of the war"; "a week of rainy depressing weather"; "a disconsolate winter landscape"; "the first dismal dispiriting days of November"; "a dark gloomy day"; "grim rainy weather". Noun1. The color of the clear sky in the daytime; "he had eyes of bright blue". 2. Blue clothing; "she was wearing blue". 3. Any organization or party whose uniforms or badges are blue; "the Union army was a vast blue". 4. The sky as viewed during daylight; "he shot an arrow into the blue". 5. Used to whiten laundry or hair or give it a bluish tinge. 6. The sodium salt of amobarbital that is used as a barbiturate; used as a sedative and a hypnotic. 7. Any of numerous small chiefly blue butterflies of the family Lycaenidae. Verb1. Turn blue. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "blue" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Computing | Blue A language proposed by Softech to meet the DoD Ironman requirements which led to Ada. ["On the BLUE Language Submitted to the DoD", E.W. Dijkstra, SIGPLAN Notices 13(10):10-15 (Oct 1978)]. Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing. |
19th Century Satire | The only color we can feel. INVISIBLE BLUE A policeman. Source: Foolish Dictionary, 1904. |
Bible | Blue generally associated with purple (Ex. 25:4; 26:1, 31, 36, etc.). It is supposed to have been obtained from a shellfish of the Mediterranean, the Helix ianthina of Linnaeus. The robe of the high priest's ephod was to be all of this colour (Ex. 28:31), also the loops of the curtains (26:4) and the ribbon of the breastplate (28:28). Blue cloths were also made for various sacred purposes (Num. 4:6, 7, 9, 11, 12). (See COLOUR.). Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Literature | Blue or Azure is the symbol of Divine eternity and human immortality. Consequently, it is a mortuary colour- hence its use in covering the coffins of young persons. When used for the garment of an angel, it signifies faith and fidelity. As the dress of the Virgin, it indicates modesty. In blazonry, it signifies chastity, loyalty, fidelity, and a spotless reputation. The Covenanters wore blue as their badge, in opposition to the scarlet of royalty. They based their choice on Numb. xv. 38, "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments ... and that they put upon the fringe ... a ribband of blue. " (See Colours for its symbolisms.) Blue (A), or a "staunch blue," descriptive of political opinions, for the most part means a Tory, for in most counties the Conservative colour is blue. (See True Blue .) "This was a blue demonstration, a gathering of the Conservative clans."- Holme Lee. A blue. (See Blue Stocking.) A dark blue. An Oxford man or Harrow boy. A light blue. A Cambridge man or Eton boy. An old blue. One who has pulled in a University boat-race, or taken part in any of their athletic contests. "There were five old blues playing."- Standard, May 8th, 1883. True blue. This is a Spanish phrase, and refers to the notion that the veins shown in the skin of aristocratic families are more blue than that of inferior persons. (See Sang.) True blue will never stain. A really noble heart will never disgrace itself. The reference is to blue aprons and blouses worn by butchers, which do not show blood-stains. True as Coventry blue. The reference is to a blue cloth and blue thread made at Coventry, noted for its permanent dye. 'Twas Presbyterian true blue (Hudibras, i. 1). The allusion is to the blue apron which some of the Presbyterian preachers used to throw over their preaching-tub before they began to address the people. In one of the Rump songs we read of a person going to hear a lecture, and the song says- "Where I a tub did view, Hung with an apron blue; 'Twas the preacher's, I conjecture." To look blue. To be disconcerted. He was blue in the face. Aghast with wonder. The effect of fear and wonder is to drive the colour from the cheeks, and give them a pale-bluish tinge. Blue and ~~~Red, Red, in public-house signs, are heraldic colours, as the Blue Pig, the Blue Cow, the Red Lion, the Red Hart, etc. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Publishing & Graphic Arts | One or two-sided photographic proof from offset or gravure film; the image colour is blue; also known as blue. Source: European Union. (references) |
Slang in 1811 | BLUE, To look blue; to be confounded, terrified, or disappointed. Blue as a razor; perhaps, blue as azure. Source: 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Blue is one of the three primary additive colors; blue light has the shortest wavelength (about 470 nm) of the three primary colours.
A clear sky on a sunny day is coloured blue because of Rayleigh scattering of the light from the Sun. Large amounts of water (H2O) look blue because red light around 750 nm is absorbed as an overtone of the O-H stretching vibration. Interestingly, heavy water (D2O) is colourless, because the absorption band is at a longer wavelength (~950 nm).
An example of a blue color in the RGB color space has intensities [0, 0, 255] on a 0 to 255 scale. On a browser that supports visual formatting in Cascading Style Sheets, the following box should appear in this color:
The English language commonly uses "blue" to refer to any color from blue to cyan.
Usage, symbolism, colloquial expressions
- The colloquial expression "blue" is used to describe melancholy or sadness in English speaking countries. See also Blues music.
- The word "blue" is often used in reference to the Police force; e.g. "Boys in Blue", "the blue line"
- Blue is also the color of many police uniforms. Police in the Peoples Republic of China changed the color of the uniforms from green to blue in the late 1990s partly to emphasize their civilian role.
- Blue is the color of many air force dress uniforms including those of the United States.
- Blue is used to denote the working class (due to the usual color of working clothes). Blue-collar workers are industrial workers as opposed to white-collar office workers.
- The phrase "of blue blood" is used to mean "from an aristocratic background", because a pale, untanned skin allows blue-tinged veins to show through.
- A "Blue movie" is a slang term for a pornographic film. There are also "Blue magazines". This term is more common in Great Britain than the United States.
- Users of Microsoft Windows often use the term "blue" to describe a computer that has encountered a blue screen of death.
- "Blue laws" is a slang term for laws regulating issues of morality, such as alcohol, gambling, or sexually-explicit materials.
- The Blue Riband is a prize awarded since the 1860s to the ship that made the fastest transatlantic crossing.
- "Blue ribbon" is a term used to describe something of high quality, such as a blue ribbon panel or a blue ribbon commission. This usage comes from the practice of awarding blue ribbons for first place in certain athletic or other competitive endeavors.
- Dark blue is associated with Oxford University and light blue with Cambridge University. Participants in sporting fixtures between these universities are said to have been awarded "a blue", similar in concept to a varsity letter.
- In Australia, a "blue" can also describe a fight or an argument.
- The German word for blue is used for "drunk".
- In Japanese, the word for blue is used for "young".
- In Russian, the word for blue is slang for "gay".
- Blue often denoted injury since it is the color of a bruise.
- In medical diagrams, blue is used to represent veins carrying deoxygenated blood back to the heart. Deoxygenated blood is actually reddish violet.
- Politically: Electoral maps in the United States usually use blue for the Democratic Party. Those in the United Kingdom use blue for the Conservative Party (which uses blue as one of its symbols), and those in Canada use blue to refer to the Progressive Conservatives. In the Republic of China on Taiwan, the blue is the symbol for the Kuomintang and has been used as the emblem for Chinese reunification leaning parties. Internationally, blue is the color for conservatives (with notable exceptions; see Political party).
- Blue is used to represent the Union in the American Civil War in opposition to the Confederate gray, both based on the uniforms worn by the respective armies.
- Azzurro (a light blue) is the national color of Italy.
- "Big Blue" is a nickname for IBM.
- A blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month, or a moon that appears blue because of particles in the atmosphere. Both are uncommon enough that "once in a blue moon" means "almost never."
- A blue note is a note between the regular notes on the scale. Blue notes are the most important notes in the blues scale.
House painted blue
Music
Blue is also the title of an album by the Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell.
Kind of Blue is the title of an album by Miles Davis, which has become one of the biggest selling jazz recordings in history.
Blue Train is the title of an influential jazz album by John Coltrane
Rhapsody in Blue is a symphonic jazz composition for jazz band, piano, and orchestra by George Gershwin.
Love is Blue is a popular tune from the 1960's by Andy Williams, most notably performed by Paul Mauriat.
Blue is also a title for songs from LeAnn Rimes to Eiffel 65.
See also:
- Blues
- Trois Coleurs: Bleu
- Derek Jarman's Blue
- Blue (1968 movie)
- Blue (1992 movie)
- Blue (2001 movie)
- Blue (2002 movie)
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Blue."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Blue is the last film of director Derek Jarman (1942-1994). At the time when he made the film, he was blind and dying of AIDS.The film is his last testament as a film-maker, and consists of a single shot of saturated blue colour filling the screen, as background to a soundtrack where Jarman describes his life and vision.
The soundtrack ends with the words:
In time,
No one will remember our work
Our life will pass like the traces of a cloud
And be scattered like
Mist that is chased by the
Rays of the sun
For our time is the passing of a shadow
And our lives will run like
Sparks through the stubble.I place a delphinium, Blue, upon your grave
External links
There are a number of other movies entitled Blue. Please see Blue (movie)Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Blue (1993 movie)."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Blue (2001) is a Japanese movie directed by Hiroshi Ando.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Blue (2001 movie)."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Blue (2002) is a French movie directed by Jennifer Champagne.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Blue (2002 movie)."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
There were two movies made in 1993 entitled Blue.
There are several other movies called simply Blue:
- Krzysztof Kieslowski's Bleu, first of the Three Colours trilogy
- Derek Jarman's Blue
There is also a Dutch film "Blue Movie" by Wim Verstappen and Pim de la Parra, 1971.
- Blue (1968 movie)
- Blue (1992 movie)
- Blue (2001 movie)
- Blue (2002 movie)
The term blue movie can also be used to mean a pornographic film.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Blue (movie)."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Blue is the English language title of the 1993 French language film, Bleu (available with English subtitles).Co-written, produced, and directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski, Blue is the first in the Three Colors trilogy, followed by White and Red.
Three Colors: Blue:
STARRING:
- Executive Producer: Marin Karmitz
- Directed by: Krzysztof Kieslowski
- Screenplay: Krzysztof Piesiewicz and Krzysztof Kieslowski
- Cinematography : Slavomir Idziak
- Musical Score: Zbigniew Preisner
AWARDS:
- Juliette Binoche: "Julie Vignon - de Courcy"
- Benoit Régent: "Olivier Benoit"
- Charlotte Very: "Lucille"
- Emmanuelle Riva: Madame Vignon (Julie's mother)
- Florence Pernel: "Sandrine"
Writer/director Krzysztof Kieslowski's trilogy was made back-to-back beginning in 1993. Each of the films takes its name from the colors of the French flag and its themes from the ideals represented by those colors as defined during the French Revolution:
- Venice Film Festival, 1993: Best Film and Juliette Binoche, Best Actress, Best Cinematography: Slawomir Idziak
- Cesar Award, 1993: Best Actress: Juliette Binoche, Best Sound, Best Film Editing
- Goya Awards (Spain's Academy Awards): Best European Film
The motion picture "Blue" is a complex psychological study. In it, the story of liberty is set in Paris where Julie, the wife of famous composer, Patrice de Courcy, must cope with his and their five-year-old daughter's death in an automobile accident, one that she wishes she too had not survived. While recovering in hospital, her initial thought is to take her own life by swallowing a handful of painkillers stolen from the hospital's medicine chest. From that point on, her days are devoted to committing mental suicide, by disassociating herself from all past memories and getting rid of all reminders including the destruction of her late husband's last composition, a piece commissioned for the celebration of the European Union.
- Bleu/Blue -- liberty
- Blanc/White -- equality
- Rouge/Red -- friendship
Despite her desires to shrink into nothingness, merely existing forces Julie to confront certain elements of her past that she would rather not face. Along the way, she befriends Lucille, a prostitute/stripper who lives downstairs from her; falls in love with Olivier, her late husband's aide (who kept the mattress); and helps Sandrine, her late husband's mistress of whom she knew nothing and who is carrying his child.
"Blue" is a movie that is impossible for most anyone to fully understand with only one viewing. Its many layers force the viewer to think. Visually, the director uses many techniques to portray the sense of loss and Julie's internal conflict. As Julie watches from her hospital bed the funeral for her husband and daughter, the dark shadow of her finger caresses the tiny casket on the screen. Once out of hospital, she begins to swim alone in a darkened pool and each time the pain overwhelms her, she rushes to swim, pushing herself to the limit, trying to force away the memories. The key to understanding the story is the meaning of its color which Kieslowski said in its modern context does not treat liberty in a social or political way, but as the liberty of life itself.
The film sets the story for the remainder of Kieslowski's trilogy by using cross-references to the other "colors." In one scene, children dressed in white bathing suits with red floaters jump into the blue swimming pool while in another, Julie is seen accidentally entering a courtroom where the main Polish character of "White" is pleading his innocence. "Red" is seen in Paris's prostitute neighborhood near Pigalle, a seething neon strip of lurid clubs, run-down shoppefronts and grimy porn cinemas, all flashing brilliant red lights, peddling the world's most reliable merchandise - sex.
"Blue" is a powerful motion picture that will dramatically impact most viewers. Through its use of color, in addition to blue filters and blue lighting, many small, almost innocuous objects are blue. By the text of the haunting music around which the film revolves, Julie will heal and events will bring her back to the land of the living. The words to the music by Zbigniew Preisner, are taken from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 of the Bible. Blue light, representing Julie's past, creeps in around her at several points throughout the film, accompanied by her husband's haunting music that adds something overridingly powerful to the visualizations to create a fourth color: Love.
A number of critics rank this as one of the great motion pictures of all time. Marjorie Baumgarten, of the "Austin Chronicle", said: "Blue is a movie that engages the mind, challenges the senses, implores a resolution, and tells, with aesthetic grace and formal elegance, a good story and a political allegory." Roger Ebert calls "Blue" (and the entire trilogy) a masterpiece.
1 Corinthians, 13:1-13:
Song for the Unification of Europe - Zbigniew Preisner
CHORUS:
- ''Though I speak with the tongues of angels,
- If I have not love...
- My words would resound with but a tinkling of a cymbal.
- And though I have the gift of prophecy...
- And understand all mysteries...
- and all knowledge...
- And though I have all faith
- So that I could remove mountains,
- if I have not love...
- I am nothing.
- Love is patient, full of goodness;
- Love tolerates all things,
- Aspires to all things,
- Love never dies,
- while the prophecies shall be done away,
- tongues shall be silenced,
- knowledge shall fade...
- thus then shall linger only
- faith, hope, and love...
- but greatest of these...
- is love. ''
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Three Colors: Blue."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
BLUE | Dutch | Beste lineaire zuivere schatter | Mathematics, Statistics |
BLUE | English | Best linear unbiased estimator | N/A |
BLUE | Italian | Miglior stimatore lineare corretto | Mathematics, Statistics |
| bl | English | Blue | Physics, Social Sciences |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonyms: BlueSynonyms: aristocratic (adj), aristocratical (adj), blasphemous (adj), blue(a) (adj), blue-blooded (adj), blueish (adj), bluish (adj), dark (adj), dark-blue (adj), depressed (adj), depressing (adj), disconsolate (adj), dismal (adj), dispirited (adj), dispiriting (adj), down in the mouth (adj), down(p) (adj), downcast (adj), downhearted (adj), gamey (adj), gamy (adj), gentle (adj), gloomy (adj), grim (adj), juicy (adj), light-blue (adj), low (adj), low-spirited (adj), naughty (adj), patrician (adj), profane (adj), puritan (adj), puritanic (adj), puritanical (adj), racy (adj), risque (adj), spicy (adj), amobarbital sodium (n), blue air (n), blue angel (n), blue sky (n), blueing (n), blueness (n), bluing (n), wild blue yonder (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Knowledge | Erudite, instructed, leaned, lettered, educated; well conned, well informed, well read, well grounded, well educated; enlightened, shrewd, savant, blue, bookish, scholastic, solid, profound, deep-read, book-learned; accomplished; (skillful); omniscient; self-taught. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | And what sunrises, seen as the human eye could never see them: silver at first, then, as the years progressed, in tones of purple, red, and my long lost blue. (Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles; writing credit: Anne Rice) My given name is Benjamin Buford Blue, but people call me Bubba (Forrest Gump; writing credit: Eric Roth) I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams (Shawshank Redemption; writing credit: Frank Darabont) You cracked the code ! Six months, and you come up with it out of the blue. How (Hollow Man; writing credit: Gary Scott Thompson; Andrew W. Marlowe) Well done Bridge, 4 hours of careful cooking and a feast of blue soup, omelette and marmalade (Bridget Jones's Diary; writing credit: Helen Fielding) | |
Lyrics | We count only blue cars (Counting Blue Cars; performing artist: Dishwalla) Here's the story about a little guy that lives in a blue world (Blue (Da Ba Dee); performing artist: Eiffel 65) And I'm gonna be true blue baby I love you (True Blue; performing artist: Madonna) Oh, Blue Angel Don't you cry Just because he said goodbye Oh, uh, uh aah No, don't cry (Blue Angel; performing artist: Roy Orbison) Yes one thing that turns this grey sky to blue (The Look Of Love; performing artist: ABC) | |
Clever | Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. (references; author: unknown) You are an engineer if your three-year-old son asks why the sky is blue, and you try to explain atmospheric absorption theory. (references; author: unknown) | |
Tongue Twisters | Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar. (references; author: unknown) Big ben blew big blue bubbles. (references; author: unknown) Blue bug's blood. (references; author: unknown) Gus goes by Blue Goose bus. (references; author: unknown) The bleak breeze blights the bright blue blossom (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Blue (2003) Deep Blue (2003) French Blue (1974) True Blue and Dreamy (1974) Shoot It Blue Shoot It Black (1974) | |
Song Titles | Blue Rhondo A La Turk (performing artist: The Dave Brubeck Quartet) SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES (performing artist: Stills & Nash Crosby) Once In A Very Blue Moon (performing artist: Nanci Griffith) Electric Blue (performing artist: Icehouse) VENUS IN BLUE JEANS (performing artist: Jimmy Clanton ) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
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Periodicals | |||
Theater & Movies | |||
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High Tech |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | From an overhead angle, a blue bowl of cereal and a sandwich on a plate, sitting on a yellow tablecloth, are shown in opposite corners of the frame. A broken muffin lies between them in the center. The red lettering in the upper left reads: "Eat 3-5 generous servings of whole grain breads and cereals every day". Shot on 4x5 format. This was used in the 1989 calendar "Eat for Good Health" May 1989. See artwork: PV-19. Credit: Bill Branson (photographer). |  | Shown is the Clinical Center and the Ambulatory Care and Research Facility (ACRF) viewed from Building 31. The ACRF houses outpatient clinics and some laboratories. In the foreground are trees that are just turning yellow and the sky is blue with some wispy clouds. Credit: Bill Branson (photographer). |
 | Smear of Pneumocystis carinii, concentrated from human lung. Toluidine blue stain. Credit: CDC. |  | Y. pestis, is a small (0.5 x 1.0 µM) gram-negative bacillus. Bipolar staining occurs when using Wayson, Wright, Giemsa, or methylene blue stain, and may occasionally be seen in Gram-stained preparations. Credit: CDC. |
 | Blue Marble 2000. Credit: NASA. |  | Big Blue Marble. Credit: NASA. |
 | Glowing gaseous streamers of red, white, and blue — as well as green and pink — illuminate the ... Credit: NASA. |  | The Hubble telescope's sharp vision has clearly seen - for the first time - hot blue stars ... Credit: NASA. |
 | True color image of faint blue galaxies. Credit: NASA. |  | An overhead view like the one above, but different wavelengthsare assigned to the red, green and blue channels to make the hurricaneappear red. Credit: NASA. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
 |  |
| "Blue light" by Michael Vaughn Commentary: "Some long exposure fun." | "Blue Door" by Pedro Cunha Commentary: "One door in Lisbon..." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Play | Caption | Play | Caption |
 | Mourning; mourn; bereavement; bereave; bereaving; mourned; death; funeral; sad; blue; down. | | Amative; amatory; amorous; aphrodisiac; bawdy; blue; carnal; concupiscent; dirty; earthy; erogenous; fervid; filthy; fleshly; hot; impassioned; kinky; lascivious; lecherous; lewd; obscene; off-color; purple; prurient; raunchy; raw; romantic; rousing; sala. |
| Sigh; blue; blue funk; bummed out; cast down; crestfallen; crummy; dejected; despondent; destroyed; disconsolate; dispirited; down; downcast; downhearted; dragged; fed up; glum; grim; hurting; in pain; let down; low; low down; low-spirited; lugubrious; me. | ||
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Helen Hunt Jackson | O suns and skies and clouds of June, and flowers of June together. Ye cannot rival for one hour October's bright blue weather. |
Oscar Wilde | I never saw a man who looked with such a wistful eye upon that little tent of blue which prisoners call the sky. |
Thomas Carlyle | The old cathedrals are good, but the great blue dome that hangs over everything is better. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Emma | Austen, Jane | Those soft blue eyes, and all those natural graces, should not be wasted on the inferior society of Highbury and its connexions |
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency | Douglas Adams | So after a hectic week of believing that war was peace, that good was bad, that the moon was made of blue cheese, and that God needed a lot of money sent to a certain box number, the Monk started to believe that thirty-five percent of all tables were hermaphrodites, and then broke down |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | Her skin showed here and there, and black and blue could be distinguished, which indicated the places where the Thenardiess had touched her. |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | The little silk badge with the red rose on it looked very rich because he had a blue sailor top on. |
King Richard III | Shakespeare, William | The lights burn blue. |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | His blue shirt darkened down his back and under his arms |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | One is blue, the other red, and the third green |
Walden | Thoreau, Henry David | That way I looked between and over the near green hills to some distant and higher ones in the horizon, tinged with blue. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Blue and black denote inactive areas. (references) | |
Note the basophilic (dark blue granules in the inclusion). (references) | ||
Look for their number in the blue pages of the phone book. (references) | ||
Business | The most popular color is royal blue in any color combination. (references) | |
Particularly popular at present are the color combinations of royal blue and yellow and earthen colors with ethnical motives (South American, African, and Mexican). (references) | ||
The Polish Navy has mainly coastal, minesweeping and ASW capabilities, although the acquisition by grant transfer of the U.S. frigate “Clarke” will provide a blue water capability. (references) | ||
Children | Nicaragua | In the spring of 2000, the Ministry of the Family announced that it would cut a considerable amount of financial support for the Blue Bird Protection Association that shelters about 100 persons with disabilities, aged from 10 months to 40 years old, who are considered unable to care for themselves. (references) |
Civil Liberties | Ethiopia | During the year, 1,362 armed rebels of the Sudanese Alliance Forces (SAF) reportedly fled Sudan for 3 towns, El Mehal-Menza, Berdan, and Aswar, which are located close to the Blue Nile where it crosses into Sudan. (references) |
Economic History | Iceland | Flag: Red cross edged in white on a blue field. (references) |
Human Rights | Fiji | The human rights campaigns begun after the coup continued to work under a banner organization called the "Blue Ribbon Campaign." The group continues to plan peace vigils and other similar events, but the Qarase Government pays the Blue Ribbon Campaign little attention. (references) |
Political Economy | AUSTRIA | Slight differences between blue collar and white collar workers with regard to health care were further reduced in 2000. (references) |
SWITZERLAND | The Labor Act establishes a maximum 45-hour workweek for blue and white collar workers in industry, services, and retail trades, and a 50-hour workweek for all other workers. (references) | |
Trade | Ukraine | Foreign banks service both their multinational clients and Ukrainian blue chips. (references) |
El Salvador | For valuation of used cars, Customs uses N.A.D.A., Edmund's and the Truck Blue Book. (references) | |
Venezuela | Such duties have been levied temporarily on products, such as blue jeans coming from Asia and some plastics and cheeses. (references) | |
Travel | Taiwan | Cities in Taiwan are plentifully supplied with blue public phones that can be used for both local calls and domestic long-distance calls. (references) |
Indonesia | In Jakarta, Blue Bird family of taxis (and the sister Silver and Golden Bird luxury taxis) are considered to be the safest and most reliable and they can be summoned by telephone (794-1234). (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | REVEILLE, n. A signal to sleeping soldiers to dream of battlefields no more, but get up and have their blue noses counted. In the American army it is ingeniously called "rev-e-lee," and to that pronunciation our countrymen have pledged their lives, their misfortunes and their sacred dishonor. |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Johnny Cash | You know, I wrote a song about why I wear black but maybe that's not quite it. I wear black because I'm comfortable in it. But then in the summertime when it's hot I'm comfortable in light blue. |
Porter Goss | I don't know what a blue ribbon investigation is, but I think there will be follow-on to what we do. In fact, I would be disappointed if there weren't. |
Rush Limbaugh | Clinton's own blue ribbon commission, headed by Democratic Senator John Breaux, recommended we de-emphasize the federal bureaucracy. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| "Blue" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 95.87% of the time. "Blue" is used about 8,322 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 95.87% | 7,979 | 1,211 |
| Noun (singular) | 2.64% | 220 | 20,356 |
| Noun (proper) | 1.38% | 115 | 30,138 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 0.07% | 6 | 143,867 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 0.02% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Total | 100.00% | 8,322 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "blue" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| Blue | Last name | 11,000 | 1,162 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
| Country | Name | Country | Name |
| India | Blue Star Limited | Israel | Blue Square - Israel Limited |
| Japan | Blue Grass Co., Ltd. | Sri Lanka | Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide |
| United Kingdom | Blue Chip Value and Income Fund Ltd. | USA | Blue Bird Body Company |
| (more examples...) |
Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.
1. Blue, AZ |
Expressions using "blue": a blue moon ♦ a bolt from the blue ♦ Alcian Blue ♦ alpha blue ♦ azodiphenyl blue ♦ azure blue ♦ baby blue ♦ bavarian blue ♦ be in a blue funk ♦ beat black and blue ♦ beat smb. black and blue ♦ become blue ♦ Berlin blue ♦ beta blue ♦ big blue ♦ black and blue ♦ blue African lily ♦ blue air ♦ blue and yellow ♦ blue anemone ♦ blue angel ♦ blue annealing ♦ blue asbestos ♦ blue asbestus ♦ blue Ash ♦ blue baby ♦ blue bass ♦ blue beard ♦ blue beech ♦ blue Bell ♦ blue beret ♦ blue bice ♦ blue bindweed ♦ blue birds ♦ blue black ♦ blue blood ♦ blue blood of Castile ♦ Blue bonnet ♦ blue Book ♦ blue Box ♦ blue boy ♦ blue brittleness ♦ Blue buck ♦ blue bugle ♦ blue bull ♦ blue bullets ♦ blue caps ♦ blue cardinal flower ♦ blue cat ♦ blue catfish ♦ blue channel cat ♦ blue channel catfish ♦ blue cheer ♦ blue cheese ♦ blue cheese dressing ♦ blue chip ♦ blue chip stock ♦ blue chip stocks ♦ blue chips ♦ Blue Circle Industries ♦ blue clay ♦ Blue cod ♦ BLUE COHOSH ♦ blue collar ♦ blue collar worker ♦ blue columbine ♦ blue commander ♦ blue copperas ♦ blue coral ♦ Blue crab ♦ blue Creek ♦ Blue Cross ♦ Blue curls ♦ blue dahlia ♦ blue daisy ♦ blue darter ♦ blue devil ♦ blue devils ♦ blue Diamond ♦ blue dip ♦ blue disease ♦ blue dolls ♦ blue drops ♦ blue ear disease ♦ blue Earth ♦ blue Earth County ♦ blue elder ♦ blue elderberry ♦ blue Eye ♦ blue false indigo ♦ blue fig ♦ blue film ♦ Blue fire ♦ blue fish ♦ BLUE FLAG ♦ blue flag at starboard side of the wheel house ♦ blue flame ♦ blue fleabane ♦ blue forces ♦ blue fox ♦ blue funk. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "blue": blue-and-brown, blue-and-cream, blue-and-gold, blue-and-green, blue-and-grey, blue-and-red, blue-and-white, blue-and-white-striped, blue-aproned, blue-asbestos, blue-back, blue-back mullet, blue-backed, blue-bag, blue-banded, blue-barred, blue-bellied, blue-bellied lorikeet, blue-bellied parrot, blue-belly, blue-beret, blue-berry, blue-bird, blue-black, blue-black-green, blue-blackness, blue-blacks, blue-blind, blue-blindness, blue-blood, Blue-blooded, blue-bloodedness, blue-bloods, blue-blushed, Blue-bonnet, blue-bottle, blue-bottles, blue-bottomed, blue-bound, blue-brown, blue-bruised, blue-capped, blue-car, blue-carpeted, blue-cars, blue-check, blue-cheeked, blue-chequer, blue-china, blue-chip, blue-chip stock, blue-chips, blue-clad, blue-clawed, blue-collar, blue-coloured, blue-concreted, blue-covered, blue-dark, blue-dashed, blue-deviled, blue-devilled, blue-distanced, blue-dyed, blue-ear, blue-edged, blue-ey, Blue-eye, Blue-eyed, blue-eyed African daisy, blue-eyed boy, Blue-eyed grass, blue-eyed Mary, blue-eyed yellow warbler, blue-eyes, blue-face, blue-faced, blue-film, blue-filtered, blue-fin, blue-fingered, blue-flecked, blue-flowered, blue-footed, blue-footed booby, blue-framed, blue-fronted, blue-glazed, blue-gold, blue-grass, Blue-grass State, blue-gray, blue-green, blue-green alga, blue-green algae, blue-greens, blue-grey, blue-greys, blue-ground, blue-haired, blue-headed, blue-headed vireo, blue-helmet, Blue-horizon, blue-iced, blue-ing, blue-jack, blue-jacketed, blue-jean, blue-jeaned, blue-jeans, Blue-john, blue-jowled, blue-knit, blue-leaved, blue-lensed, blue-lined, blue-lipped, blue-lit, blue-mascara, blue-massing, blue-mauve, blue-mottled, blue-mouldy, blue-movie, blue-ness, blue-nose, blue-nosed, blue-only, blue-on-white, blue-overalled, blue-painted, blue-pencil, blue-pencilled, blue-period, blue-periodic, blue-pigeon, blue-pink, blue-print, blue-print stage, blue-prints, blue-purple, blue-red-chrome, blue-reddish, blue-resin-impregnated, blue-ribbed, blue-ribbon, blue-ribboned, blue-ribboners, blue-rim, blue-rimmed, blue-ring, blue-ringed, blue-rinse, blue-rinsed, blue-roan-and-white, blue-rock, blue-rumped, blue-satin-coated, blue-sensitive, blue-shadowed, blue-shifted, blue-shirted, blue-shuttered, blue-skinned, blue-skirted, blue-sky, Blue-skylaw, blue-smocked, blue-socked, Blue-soda, blue-sparked, blue-speaker, blue-stained, blue-stocking, blue-stockinged, blue-stockings, blue-stone, blue-streaked, blue-striped, blue-suited, blue-sweet, blue-tack, blue-tailed, Blue-tak, blue-tattooed, blue-throat, blue-throated, Blue-throated robin, blue-throated warbler, blue-tiled, blue-tinted, blue-tit, blue-tits, blue-to, blue-toned, blue-tongue, blue-tongued, blue-trees, blue-uniformed, Blue-veined, blue-velvet, blue-walled, blue-washed, blue-water, blue-white, blue-white-yellow, blue-wing, blue-winged, blue-winged teal, blue-worm, blue-wrapped, blue-yellow. | |
Ending with "blue": ash-blue, azure-blue, baby-blue, bright-blue, china-blue, cobalt-blue, cornflower-blue, deep-blue, electric-blue, greenish-blue, greeny-blue, grey-blue, half-blue, ice-blue, indigo-blue, lavender-blue, mid-blue, midnight-blue, pale-blue, petrol-blue, powder-blue, prussian-blue, purple-blue, royal-blue, sapphire-blue, sea-blue, slate-blue, smoky-blue, steel-blue, true-blue, violet-blue. | |
Containing "blue": baby-blue-eyes, black-and-blue livid, Monster-from-the-blue-lagoon, pink-blue-purple, Sea-Blue Histiocyte Syndrome, yellow-blue color blindness, yellow-blue dichromacy. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
kelly blue book | 91,138 | car blue book | 1,503 |
jet blue | 26,360 | blue mountain greeting card | 1,362 |
blue book | 26,242 | blue nile | 1,339 |
blue cross blue shield | 8,544 | blue sky | 1,317 |
blue mountain | 7,601 | la blue girl | 1,289 |
blue | 7,151 | blue berry | 1,283 |
blue mountain card | 5,112 | blue cross of california | 1,257 |
jet blue airline | 5,016 | boat blue book | 1,226 |
blue cross | 4,052 | house blue print | 1,170 |
blue man group | 3,446 | blue whale | 1,118 |
blue tooth | 3,203 | blue book values | 1,107 |
blue book value | 3,072 | blue crush | 1,104 |
blue print | 3,015 | blue bonnet | 1,089 |
toronto blue jays | 2,456 | blue ridge parkway | 1,068 |
blue bird | 2,019 | kelly blue book value | 969 |
nada blue book | 2,012 | blue jays | 961 |
blue angel | 1,921 | new york police department blue | 876 |
auto blue book | 1,743 | blue shield | 855 |
