red
red — adjective
1. having the bright colour of blood, a ripe strawberry, or a fire engine
having the bright colour of blood, a ripe strawberry, or a fire engine
Adina bought a bright red car last year.
collocation: bright red
The ripe apples on the tree were a deep, shiny red.
Talia painted the front door red to match the bricks.
paint + object + red
A red warning light appeared on the machine's control panel.
compound modifier: red warning light
- bright red
- dark red
- deep red
- turn red
- go red
- paint something red
Usage Note
Can be used alone ('a red shirt') or intensified with words like 'bright', 'deep', or 'dark'.
Common Mistakes
2. having an orange-brown or copper colour, used to describe a person's hair
having an orange-brown or copper colour, used to describe a person's hair
Nila has long red hair that her friends all admire.
The little girl with red curls sat in the front row.
collocation: red curls
Nikos dyed his hair red for the school play.
dye + hair + red
Many people with red hair have very fair skin.
- red hair
- red curls
- red locks
- dye something red
- reddish hair
Usage Note
Distinguish from adj/1: this sense ONLY applies to hair colour, not to objects. 'Red hair' includes shades from orange-brown to deep auburn.
Common Mistakes
3. (of a person's face) becoming pink or red because of embarrassment, shyness, ang
(of a person's face) becoming pink or red because of embarrassment, shyness, anger, or shame
Putri turned red when the teacher praised her work in front of the class.
pattern: turn red
Aaron's face went red with anger during the argument.
pattern: go red with + emotion
Selim felt his cheeks go red as everyone stared at him.
Eri was so embarrassed that her ears turned red too.
- go red
- turn red
- face goes red
- cheeks turn red
- red with embarrassment
- red with anger
Grammar Patterns
go red
turn red
Usage Note
Commonly used with 'go red' or 'turn red'. 'Go red' is more informal and often implies a sudden change. The face, cheeks, ears, or neck can be described as red.
Common Mistakes
4. (of a person's eyes or the skin around them) red, swollen, or bloodshot from cry
(of a person's eyes or the skin around them) red, swollen, or bloodshot from crying, lack of sleep, smoke, or drinking alcohol
Soraya had red eyes after staying up all night studying.
collocation: red eyes
The smoke in the room made everyone's eyes red and watery.
Reuben came to work with red eyes and a stuffy nose.
Her eyes were red from crying after the sad movie.
pattern: red from + cause
- red eyes
- eyes are red
- red from crying
- red from tiredness
- red and swollen
Usage Note
Unlike adj/3 (face), this sense specifically describes the eyes themselves, not the face. Commonly paired with a cause phrase: 'red from crying / tiredness / allergies / smoke'.
5. holding very left-wing political views that support communism or extreme sociali
holding very left-wing political views that support communism or extreme socialism
The red flag was raised outside the government building during the parade.
collocation: red flag (political symbol)
Many red army veterans attended the annual memorial service.
compound: red army
The newspaper was known for its red political views.
During the Cold War, several countries in Eastern Europe were under red rule.
- red flag
- red army
- red party
- red China
- red politics
- conservative
traditionally associated with blue in some countries
Usage Note
Can be written with a capital letter (Red) when referring to a specific historical party or state. May carry negative connotations depending on the speaker's political perspective.
paint the town red
idiomTo go out and enjoy yourself by visiting many bars, clubs, or other entertainment places.
After finals, the students painted the town red at several clubs.
Did you paint the town red with your friends last Saturday?
Describing a situation where competition or opposition is extremely fierce and without mercy.
The business world is red in tooth and claw, with companies fighting hard.
Nature can be red in tooth and claw, as predators hunt their prey.
a red rag to a bull
idiomSomething that is certain to make someone very angry.
Mentioning politics at dinner is a red rag to a bull for Uncle Tom.
For my boss, a late report is like a red rag to a bull.
red — noun
1. a bright colour that is the same as the colour of blood or ripe strawberries
a bright colour that is the same as the colour of blood or ripe strawberries
Red is my favourite colour because it looks warm and energetic.
The artist mixed blue and yellow to make green, then added red for the flowers.
colour mixing context
Ada decorated the living room in shades of red and gold.
collocation: shades of red
The traffic light changed from green to yellow and then to red.
- bright red
- dark red
- shades of red
- painted in red
- dressed in red
Usage Note
As a colour noun, 'red' is both countable (shade) and uncountable (general concept): 'a warm red' vs. 'red is a primary colour'.
2. a person who supports communist or extreme socialist political ideas
a person who supports communist or extreme socialist political ideas
His grandfather was labelled a red during the political purges of the 1950s.
historical usage: labelled a red
The newspaper article called the protesters a group of dangerous reds.
During the Cold War, suspected reds were often investigated by the government.
Ines's great-uncle fled the country after being denounced as a red.
- labelled a red
- suspected reds
- the reds
Usage Note
Often used as a disapproving or hostile label. Can be offensive. More common in historical contexts (especially the Cold War era) than in modern political discussion.
3. a situation in which a person, company, or organisation has spent more money tha
a situation in which a person, company, or organisation has spent more money than it has earned, shown as a loss in financial records
The company has been in the red for three years in a row.
fixed phrase: in the red
Mathieu checked his bank account and saw he was 500 dollars in the red.
If we don't cut costs soon, the whole project will go into the red.
pattern: go into the red
Paul's small bakery was in the red for months before it finally turned a profit.
- in the red
- go into the red
- deep in the red
- out of the red
- in debt
more general term for owing money; 'in the red' is specific to financial records
- loss-making
adjective describing a business that spends more than it earns
- in the black
opposite phrase meaning the business is profitable
Grammar Patterns
in the red
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'in the red' or 'go into the red'. The opposite is 'in the black' (making a profit). The term comes from the accounting practice of writing losses in red ink.
Common Mistakes
red — abbreviation
1. short written form of 'reduce' or 'reduction', used in notes, technical diagrams
short written form of 'reduce' or 'reduction', used in notes, technical diagrams, and inventory logs where space is limited
A factory safety note read 'red. speed to 30 km/h on wet floor zones.'
abbreviation in technical notes: red. = reduce
In the cookbook margin, Grandma wrote 'red. sugar by half for a less sweet cake.'
abbreviation in personal notes: red. = reduce
The lab technician's log read 'red. noise level by 3 dB using foam dampeners.'
abbreviation in engineering logs: red. = reduce
The warehouse inventory report recorded a 12% red. in stock for winter jackets.
abbreviation in inventory reports: red. = reduction
Usage Note
A specialised abbreviation found mainly in handwritten notes, technical diagrams, and inventory logs where space is limited. Rare in everyday English. Abbreviates both the verb 'reduce' and the noun 'reduction'.
red — idiom
Red River
idioma major river in the southern United States that flows about 1,638 kilometres along the border between Texas and Oklahoma into the Mississippi River system
The Red River forms part of the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma.
Red River
idioma river in the north-central United States and south-central Canada that flows north along the Minnesota–North Dakota border into Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba
Winnipeg was built near where the Red River meets the Assiniboine River.
see arctic red
idioma cross-reference directing readers to look up the entry for 'arctic red' for the meaning of that term
The dictionary entry for 'arctic red' contains information about a type of reddish fish found in cold northern waters.
Red River
idioma river in Southeast Asia, about 805 kilometres long, flowing from Yunnan province in southern China southeast through northern Vietnam into the Gulf of Tonkin
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, lies on the banks of the Red River.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All four words describe shades of red, but they differ in tone and use. 'Crimson' is a deep, rich red with a slightly purple undertone, often used in formal or dramatic contexts ('crimson velvet curtains'). 'Scarlet' is a very bright, attention-grabbing red, associated with passion or danger ('scarlet fever', 'scarlet letter'). 'Ruby' describes a dark, jewel-like red that suggests luxury and depth ('ruby-red lipstick'). 'Maroon' is a dark brownish-red, much less vivid than plain red ('maroon sweater'). For everyday descriptions, 'red' is the simplest and most common choice. If you want to be precise about the shade, use these more specific terms.
Common collocations
Nouns
- red hair
- red wine
- red meat
- red light
- red flag
- red carpet
Adverbs
- bright red
- deep red
- dark red
- light red
- pale red
Phrases
- in the red
- see red
- paint the town red
- red tape
Prepositions
- red with
- red in
- red from
Etymology
The word 'red' comes from Old English rēad, which can be traced back through Proto-Germanic *rauðaz to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁rewdʰ-, meaning 'red' or 'ruddy'. This ancient root also gave rise to words for 'red' in many other Indo-European languages, such as Latin ruber (from which we get 'ruby' and 'rubicund'), Greek erythros (as in 'erythrocyte'), and Sanskrit rudhira. The spelling shifted from 'read' in Middle English to the modern 'red' around the 16th century.