colour sb. (after the literal sense and sense 1, 4 is the most freq. in S.; the word easily lends itself to quibbling; of doubtful place is All'sW. II. v. 65 “holds not colour with” =is not in keeping with)
1.
pl. military ensigns (freq.); phr.
“fear no c-s,”
fear no enemy, have no fear Tw.N. I. v.
6, 2H4 V. v. 94; “under her colours,” in
her party, led by her Cym. I. iv.
21.
2.
appearance, semblance
1H6 II. iv. 34
“without all colour Of .
. . flattery,”
Ham. III. iv. 129.
3.
general ‘complexion’ or tone, character, kind AYL. I. ii. 108-9 “Sport! Of what ?,”
Lr. II. ii. 145
“a fellow of the
self-same colour”
(Qq “nature”).
4.
pretext, pretence
Gent. IV. ii. 3
“Under the of commending
him,”
2H4 V. v. 91, (with
quibble) 1H6 II. iv. 34, 2H6 III. i. 236, Cæs. II. i. 29,
Ant. I. iii. 32
“seek no colour for your
going,”
Lucr. 267.
5.
allegeable ground or
reason, excuse
2H4 I. ii. 280
“I have the wars for my
colour,”
Cym. III. i. 51
“against all
colour”
(=in opposition to all reason).
