Lewis & Short

cŏlor (old form cŏlos, like arbos, clamos, honos, etc., Plaut. Mil. 4, 4, 43; Lucr. 6, 208; 6, 1073; Sall. C. 15, 5, acc. to Prob. II. pp. 1456 and 1467 P.; Plin. 13, 15, 30, § 98; 35, 11, 42, § 150), ōris, m. [root cal-, to cover; cf.: caligo, occulere, calyx], color, hue, tint.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: varii rerum, Lucr. 2, 786: nequeunt sine luce Esse, id. 2, 795: aureus ignis, id. 6, 205: albus, id. 2, 823; cf.: color albus praecipue decorus deo est, Cic. Leg. 2, 18, 45: purpureus conchyli, Lucr. 6, 1073: Tyrios mirare, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 18; Ov. M. 4, 165; 10, 261; cf. id. ib. 6, 65; Verg. G. 1, 452: colorem accipere, Plin. 11, 38, 91, § 225: bibere, id. 8, 48, 73, § 193: inducere picturae, id. 35, 10, 36, § 102: color caerulo albidior, viridior et pressior, Plin. Ep. 8, 20, 4: amethystinus, Suet. Ner. 32: color in pomo est, ubi permaturuit, ater, Ov. M. 4, 165; Plin. 30, 2, 6, § 16: bonus, Varr. R. R. 3, 7, 10: melior, Plin. 7, 6, 5, § 41: colores, oculos qui pascere possunt, Lucr. 2, 419: rebus nox abstulit atra colorem, Verg. A. 6, 272: quam cito purpureos deperdit terra colores, Tib. 1, 4, 30: nec varios discet mentiri lana colores, Verg. E. 4, 42: Iris, Mille trahens varios adverso sole colores, id. A. 4, 701.
      Poet.: ducere, of grapes, etc., to acquire color, become colored, Verg. E. 9, 49; Ov. M. 3, 485; cf. Sen. Ep. 71, 30.
      1. 2. Meton.
        1. a. Coloring stuff, dyestuff: regionis naturā minii et chrysocollae et aliorum colorum ferax, Flor. 4, 12, 60; Plin. 35, 6, 12, § 30 sq.
        2. b. Flowers of varied colors: aspice quo submittat humus formosa colores, Prop. 1, 2, 9; Val. Fl. 6, 492.
    2. B. Specif., the natural color of men, the complexion, tint, hue: qui color, nitor, vestitus, Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 11: formae autem dignitas coloris bonitate tuenda est, color exercitationibus corporis, Cic. Off. 1, 36, 130: venusti oculi, color suavis, id. Tusc. 5, 16, 46: verus (opp. to paint), Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 27 Don.; cf. Ov. A. A. 3, 164; and fucatus, Hor. Epod. 12, 10: senex colore mustellino, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 22: niveus, Hor. C. 2, 4, 3: albus, fair, Ov. M. 2, 541: egregius, Cic. Fin. 2, 20, 64: verecundus, Hor. Epod. 17, 21; cf.: vide Num ejus color pudoris signum indicat, Ter. And. 5, 3, 7: colorem mutare, to change or lose color (on account of any excitement of the passions, from shame, fear, pain, etc.), to blush, etc., Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 38; cf. Cic. Clu. 19, 54: color excidit, Ov. M. 2, 602: perdere, id. ib. 3, 99: adeo perturbavit ea vox regem, ut non color, non voltus ei constaret, Liv. 39, 34, 7.
        1. * b. Prov.: homo nullius coloris, an unknown man, Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 99 (like the phrase: albus an ater sit; v. albus).
      1. 2. Sometimes for beautiful complexion, fine tint, beauty: o formose puer, nimium ne crede colori, Verg. E. 2, 17: quo fugit Venus, heu, quove color? Hor. C. 4, 13, 17; Ov. H. 3, 141.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., color, i.e. external form, state, condition, position, outward show, appearance (predominant in rhet.; v. 2.; elsewh. rare, and mostly poet.): amisimus omnem non modo sucum ac sanguinem, sed etiam colorem et speciem pristinam civitatis, Cic. Att. 4, 16, 10: vitae, Hor. S. 2, 1, 60; cf.: omnis Aristippum decuit color et status et res, every color became him, i. e. he accommodated himself to every condition, id. Ep. 1, 17, 23: novimus quosdam, qui multis apud philosophum annis persederint, et ne colorem quidem duxerint, have not acquired even the outward appearance, i.e. have imbibed or learned nothing, Sen. Ep. 108, 5; cf. Quint. 10, 1, 59: omnia eundem ducunt colorem; nec Persis Macedonum mores adumbrare nec Macedonibus Persas imitari indecorum, Curt. 10, 3, 14 Vogel ad loc.
      1. 2. A class, fashion, kind.
        1. a. In gen. (rare): hos maxime laudat.. egregium hoc quoque, sed secundae sortis ingenium … hic tertius color est, Sen. Ep. 52, 4: tertium illud genus … sed ne hic quidem contemnendus est color tertius, id. ib. 75, 15; cf.: in omni vitae colore, Stat. S. 2 prooem. init.
        2. b. Esp., of diction, character, fashion, cast, coloring, style: ornatur igitur oratio genere primum et quasi colore quodam et suco suo, Cic. de Or 3, 25, 95; cf. id. ib. 3, 52, 199: non unus color prooemii, narrationis, argumentorum, etc., Quint. 12, 10, 71: qui est, inquit, iste tandem urbanitatis color? Cic. Brut. 46, 171: color dicendi maculis conspergitur, Quint. 8, 5, 28; cf.: color totus orationis, id. 6, 3, 110: simplicis atque inaffectati gratia, id. 9, 4, 17: tragicus, Hor. A. P. 236: operum colores, id. ib. 86.
    2. B. Pregn. (cf. supra, 1. B. 2.), a beautiful, brilliant quality or nature, splendor, lustre, brilliancy (freq. only in rhet. lang.): nullus argento color est avaris Abdito terris, Hor. C. 2, 2, 1.
      1. 2. Of diction.
        1. a. A high, lively coloring, embellishment: intelleges nihil illius (Catonis) lineamentis nisi eorum pigmentorum quae inventa nondum erant, florem et colorem defuisse, Cic. Brut. 87, 298; id. de Or. 3, 25, 100; id. Q. Fr. 2, 13 (15 a), 2.
        2. b. In a bad sense, t. t., an artful concealment of a fault, a pretext, palliation, excuse, Quint. 4, 2, 88 Spald.; 6, 5, 5; 10, 1, 116; 11, 1, 81; 12, 1, 33; cf. Sen. Contr. 3, 21; 3, 25: res illo colore defenditur apud judicem, ut videatur ille non sanae mentis fuisse, etc., Dig. 5, 2, 5: sub colore adipiscendae possessionis, Cod. Th. 3, 6, 3; Juv. 6, 280.