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countable and uncountable, plural azures
(countable and uncountable) The clear blue colour of the sky; also, a pigment or dye of this colour. quotations examples
In robes of azure.
1815, William Wordsworth, Extracts from An Evening Walk
For our blues we have the azures and ceruleans, lapis lazulis, the light and dusty, the powder blues, the deeps: royal, sapphire, navy, and marine […]
2014, William H. Gass, On Being Blue: A Philosophical Inquiry, page 59
(heraldry) A blue colour on a coat of arms, represented in engraving by horizontal parallel lines. quotations examples
In Bb [Glover's Roll], the conventional letter B is used to indicate azure in most items.
1997, Brault, Early Blazon
(poetic) The unclouded sky; the blue vault above. quotations examples
Not like those steps / On heaven's azure.
1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
Not a single cloud mars the flawless azure; / Not a shadow moves o'er the moveless crops; [...]
1889, Mathilde Blind, “[Poems of the Open Air.] Reapers.”, in The Ascent of Man, London: Chatto & Windus, […], page 140
Any of various widely distributed lycaenid butterflies of the genus Celastrina. examples
Any of various Australasian lycaenid butterflies of the genus Ogyris. examples
Lapis lazuli. examples
not comparable
Sky blue; resembling the clear blue colour of the unclouded sky. quotations examples
When Britain first, at Heaven's command / Arose from out the azure main.
1740, James Thomson, Rule, Britannia!
Cloudless. examples
(heraldry) In blazon, of the colour blue. quotations examples
‘I forget your coat of arms.’‘A human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.’
1846, Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado
third-person singular simple present azures, present participle azuring, simple past and past participle azured
(transitive) To colour blue. quotations examples
Our readers are aware that much of the sugar sold in many countries goes through an azuring treatment; blue is added to granulated sugar with the view of making it appear whiter than it actually is.
1907, The Sugar Beet, volume 28, page 271