I. To give a color to, to color, tinge (class.): “corpora,” Cic. N. D. 1, 39, 110: “lignum sinopide,” Plin. 35, 6, 13, § 31: “lineas testa trita,” id. 35, 3, 5, § 16: “medicamentum rubricā vel atramento,” Scrib. Comp. 228: “coloratum Tithoni conjuge caelum,” Ov. Am. 2, 5, 35.—
B. In partic., to color reddish or brownish, to tinge: “cum in sole ambulem, natura fit ut colorer,” Cic. de Or. 2, 14, 60; Quint. 5, 10, 81; Sen. Ep. 108, 4: “pira sole,” Plin. 15, 15, 16, § 54; Prop. 3 (4), 13, 16. “colorat aequora Nilus,” Cat. 11, 7.—
II. Trop. (cf. color, II.).
A. In gen., to imbue thoroughly: “sapientia nisi alte descendit et diu sedit animum non coloravit, sed infecit,” Sen. Ep. 71, 30.—
B. Esp.
1. Of discourse, to give it a coloring; and in pass., to retain or receive a coloring, to be tinged: “cum istos libros studiosius legerim, sentio orationem meam illorum tactu quasi colorari,” Cic. de Or. 2, 14, 60; id. Or. 13, 42: “urbanitate quādam quasi colorata oratio,” id. Brut. 46, 170. —
2. (In a bad sense.) To give a coloring, to gloss over, palliate, Val. Max. 8, 2, 2: “inepta sua serio vultu,” Prud. Cath. 2, 35 (cf. color, II. B. b.).—Hence, cŏlōrātus , a, um, P. a.
A. Colored, having color: “arcus,” Cic. N. D. 3, 20, 51: “uvae,” Col. 11, 2: “pira,” Plin. 15, 15, 16, § 56.—
2. Esp., colored red, red, imbrowned, Quint. 5, 10, 81: “corpora,” having a healthy color, id. 8, prooem. § 19; cf. “virtus,” Sen. Vit. Beat. 7, 3: “aliquis speciosior et coloratior,” Cels. 2, 2: “Indi,” Verg. G. 4, 293: “Seres,” Ov. Am. 1, 14, 6: “Etrusci,” Mart. 10, 68.—
B. Trop., colored, specious: “ficta et colorata,” Sen. Ep. 16, 2.—Adv.: cŏlōrātē , in a specious or plausible manner: “offert tale patrocinium,” Quint. Decl. 285.