dye

[dahy]

noun

1. a coloring material or matter.

2. a liquid containing coloring matter, for imparting a particular hue to cloth, paper, etc.

3. color or hue, especially as produced by dyeing.

verb (used with object)

dyed, dyeing 

1. to color or stain; treat with a dye; color (cloth, hair, etc.) with a substance containing coloring matter.

   to dye a dress green.

2. to impart (color) by means of a dye.

   The coloring matter dyed green.

verb (used without object)

dyed, dyeing 

1. to impart color, as a dye.

   This brand dyes well.

2. to become colored or absorb color when treated with a dye.

   This cloth dyes easily.

dye

/ daɪ /

noun

1. a staining or colouring substance, such as a natural or synthetic pigment

2. a liquid that contains a colouring material and can be used to stain fabrics, skins, etc

3. the colour or shade produced by dyeing

verb

1. (tr) to impart a colour or stain to (something, such as fabric or hair) by or as if by the application of a dye

Other Word Forms

• dyable adjective
• dyeable adjective
• dyer noun
• redye verb (used with object)
• undyable adjective
• undyed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dye¹

before 1000; Middle English dien, Old English dēagian, derivative of dēag a dye

Word History and Origins

Origin of dye¹

Old English dēagian, from dēag a dye; related to Old High German tugōn to change, Lettish dūkans dark

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. of the deepest / blackest dye, of the most extreme or the worst sort.

   a prevaricator of the blackest dye.

Example Sentences

“It was so much harder for everybody else around me,” says Deutch, 30, her hair currently at a sleek shoulder length and dyed a rich dark brown.

From Los Angeles Times

This could be as simple as requiring plastic bottles to be one colour - when dyes are used the products only fetch half the value of clear bottles.

From BBC

She doesn’t regret any of it — except for dyeing her hair orange, she confesses.

From Los Angeles Times

Olyphant, who has dyed his hair and eyebrows white for the part, manages to be expressive while hardly changing his expression and funny without saying anything funny at all.

From Los Angeles Times

The Granite County Sheriff's Office, which is nearby to Anaconda, posted on social media that the gunman "is said to be wearing a tye dyed shirt, blue jeans and a orange bandana".

From BBC

Related Words

• pigment 
• stain 
• tint