green

plural greens

1. countableuncountableThe color of grass and leaves; a primary additive color midway between yellow and blue which is evoked by light between roughly 495–570 nm.

   In a period of increasing industrialization and the palette of grey, brown, and black that came to dominate the modern city, greens provided a refreshing contrast, seemingly bringing the outdoors in.

   2015, Alison Matthews David, Fashion Victims: The Damages of Dress Past and Present, →ISBN, page 81

   1 more example

   Red No. 3, red No. 40, blue No. 2 and green No. 3 all have been linked with cancer or tumors in animals. Other sources say red No. 40 and yellow No. 5 and No. 6 contain or may be contaminated with known carcinogens.

   2025 March 29, Kristen Rogers, “Over half of US states are trying to eliminate food dyes. Here’s what you can do now”, in CNN

   Synonyms: emerald, lime

2. capitalizedcountablesometimesuncountablegovernmentA member of a green party; an environmentalist.

   How have greens sought to map an ecologically and socially sustainable future for society?

   2013, Joe Smith, What Do Greens Believe?, →ISBN, page 62

   Synonyms: environmentalist, greenie, tree hugger, treehugger

3. countableuncountablegolfA putting green, the part of a golf course near the hole.

   There are eighteen holes but I dare any visitor to find more than, say, twelve fairways and seven or eight greens.

   2010, Dan Jenkins, Fairways and Greens, →ISBN, page 233

   1 more example

   I gave him my putter earlier this year in Oklahoma City. He was having trouble on the greens and I said, ‘Here, try this.’ He did, and he’s been going great guns ever since.

   1964 June 16, Arnold Palmer, quotee, “All Eyes On Lema At U.S. Open This Week”, in The Indianapolis Star, volume 62, number 11, Indianapolis, Ind., page 22

4. countableuncountablebowlsThe surface upon which bowls is played.

   Synonyms: bowling green

5. countableuncountableball gamesOne of the color balls used in snooker, with a value of 3 points.
6. UKcountableuncountableA public patch of land in the middle of a settlement.
7. countableuncountableA grassy plain; a piece of ground covered with verdant herbage.

   o'er the smooth enamelled green

   1634, John Milton, “Arcades”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC

8. countablein pluraluncountableFresh leaves or branches of trees or other plants; wreaths.

   In that ſoft Seaſon vvhen deſcending Shovvers / Call forth the Greens, and vvake the riſing Flovvers; […]

   1715, [Alexander] Pope, The Temple of Fame: A Vision, London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 7

9. countableuncountableAny substance or pigment of a green color.
10. countableuncountableA green light used as a signal.

    To the casual cockpit observer, landing-gear operation appears to be one of the most elementary tasks we have to perform. Either the switch is up and the lights are out, or it's down and there are three greens.

    1992, “How to Avoid the Most Embarrassing of Pilot Errors”, in Flying Magazine, volume 119, number 6, page 94

11. slanguncountableMarijuana.

    You're better off smoking the green instead cause it don't blim-burn and it's better for your head.

    2003, “Soap Bar”, in The Manifesto, performed by Goldie Looking Chain

    1 more example

    They see me, hoes actin like they seen a king / With that mean lean, smokin on that finest Cali green

    2005, “Drive Slow”, in Late Registration, performed by Kanye West

    Synonyms: bhang, benj, boo, broccoli, bud, buddha, cannabis, cheeba

12. USslanguncountableMoney.
13. countableparticleuncountablenatural sciencesOne of the three color charges for quarks.
14. abbreviationcountableellipsisinformaluncountableentertainmentEllipsis of green room.

    Today, actors say off-handedly, 'See you on the green' or 'I'll be in the green room' without giving the expressions much thought. In Shakespeare's day, actors changed behind the stage in the 'tiring house', […]

    2016, Bruce Montague, The Book of Shakespearian Useless Information

comparative greener · superlative greenest

1. Of a green hue.

   He is wearing a green shirt.

   2 more examples

   The former flag of Libya is fully green.

   The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with a lavish nature. Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet:[…].

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC

   Synonyms: verdant, vert, greenish, greenly, greeny, verdant, verdurous, vert · Antonyms: nongreen, ungreen

2. figurativelySickly, unwell.

   Sally looks pretty green—is she going to be sick?

   1 more example

   to look so green and pale

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vii]

3. Unripe, said of certain fruits that change color when they ripen.

   Antonyms: ripe

4. figurativelyInexperienced.

   John's kind of green, so take it easy on him this first week.

   2 more examples

   I might be angry[…] with the officious zeal which supposes that its green conceptions can instruct my grey hairs.

   1822, [Walter Scott], Peveril of the Peak. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC

   He acted like a green racehorse, plunging over his jumps, tearing to the front of the field of riders.

   2008, Richard R. Rust, Renegade Champion: The Unlikely Rise of Fitzrada, page 91

   Synonyms: callow, experienceless, inexperienced, unexperienced, fresh, new, punk, pup

5. capitalizedsometimesgovernmentIslamist.

   Some politicians tried to encourage this replacement of the red with a green menace.

   2006, Benjamin Soares, Muslim-Christian encounters in Africa, page 11

   2 more examples

   In its most extreme formulation, this vision has devolved into a caricature of Islam as the "Green Peril" (green is the colour of Islam) advancing across the world stage, an image that echoes both the "Red Menace" of Cold War discourse and anti-Asian polemics about the "Yellow Peril".

   1999, Roxanne L. Euben, Enemy in the Mirror: Islamic Fundamentalism and the Limits of Modern Rationalism, page 6

   While Bill Clinton struggled during the 1990s to bring order to a chaotic world increasingly wracked by ethnic and religious conflict, critics detected signs that a new "green" threat - radical Islam - was supplanting the earlier "red threat" - international communism - that had kept every president from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan awake at night.

   2009, Douglas Little, American Orientalism: The United States and the Middle East since 1945, page 317

6. figurativelyFull of life and vigour; fresh and vigorous; new; recent; young.

   a green wound

   3 more examples

   a green manhood

   as valid against such an old and beneficent government as against […] the greenest usurpation

   1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC

   "How old was I when you first took me in a boat?" "Five and you nearly were killed when I brought the fish in too green and he nearly tore the boat to pieces. Can you remember?"

   1952 September 1, Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 12

   Synonyms: new, all-new, brand new, brand spanking new, cherry, fresh, freshly made, hot

7. figurativelyNaive or unaware of obvious facts.

   Synonyms: gullible, credulous, naive, fleeceable, naif, born yesterday, fresh off the boat, wide-eyed

8. figurativelyOvercome with envy.

   He was green with envy.

   Synonyms: envious

9. figurativelyEnvironmentally friendly.

   green energy

   4 more examples

   Green New Deal

   As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become a form of urban utopia and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, as much as in the US, and 10 times more than in Germany, the pioneer in this field.

   2013 May 10, Audrey Garric, “Urban canopies let nature bloom”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 22, page 30

   The Earth is facing a climate crisis, but it’s also getting greener and leafier. According to new research, the rise is largely courtesy of China and India.

   2019 February 13, Emily Dixon, “China and India are making the planet greener, NASA says”, in CNN

   Oatly said it hoped Blackstone’s investment would inspire other private equity firms “to steer their collective worth of $4 trillion into green investments.”

   2021 May 18, Jack Ewing, Lauren Hirsch, “The Big Money Is Going Vegan”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 21 May 2021

   Synonyms: eco-friendly, environmentally friendly, environment-friendly, eco-friendly, ecological, ecologically friendly

10. capitalizedsometimesgovernmentOf a green party, environmentalism-oriented.
11. ball gamesDescribing a pitch which, even if there is no visible grass, still contains a significant amount of moisture.
12. datedOf bacon or similar smallgoods: unprocessed, raw, unsmoked; not smoked or spiced.

    Synonyms: raw, unprocessed, unsmoked · Antonyms: processed, smoked, spiced

13. datedNot fully roasted; half raw.

    We say the meat is green when half roasted.

    1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC

14. historicalbroadcastingOf film: freshly processed by the laboratory and not yet fully physically hardened.

    […] attaching pre-photographed and pre-printed footage of a focusing chart to daily film footage without taking into consideration that such film may be worn or dried out and therefore, in its plane of best focus, would not be identical to that of the green film of the daily rushes.

    1961, American Cinematographer, volume 42, page 618

    1 more example

    Following initial drying of film in a motion picture laboratory (after treatment in a hardening-fixing bath) the gelatin structure of an emulsion contracts and is permanently changed. The hardening action still continues for a time as a further small amount of residual moisture is given up. While traces of excess moisture remain, the emulsion is "green," relatively soft, […]

    1947, Theatre Catalog, volume 5, page 570

15. Of freshly cut wood or lumber that has not been dried: containing moisture and therefore relatively more flexible or springy.

    That timber is still too green to be used.

    1 more example

    The wood yard was a series of vacant lots where some mysterious person piled cords and cords of wood, which smelled sweet and green and gave out cool breaths.

    1913, Zona Gale, “III. One for the Money”, in When I Was a Little Girl, page 43

16. beveragesHigh or too high in acidity.

    Synonyms: tart · Antonyms: cloy, sweet

17. PhilippinesinformalHaving a sexual connotation; indecent; lewd; risqué; obscene; profane.
18. particlenatural sciencesHaving a color charge of green.

    Antonyms: antigreen

19. Being or relating to the green currencies of the European Union.

    the green lira

    1 more example

    the green pound

20. academiaSubject to or involving a model of open access in which a published article is only available to read for free after an embargo period.

    Coordinate term: gold

    1 more example

    Today most open access in medicine and biomedicine is gold, but in every other field it's mostly green.

    2013 October 21, Peter Suber, “Open access: six myths to put to rest”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Jun 2023

21. engineeringOf or pertaining to a part formed from compacted metal powder which has not yet undergone sintering to improve its strength.

    1 more example

    The pressure required to obtain a given green density depends upon the metal powder material being pressed. Excessive pressures can present some complex problems such as punch and die fractures, slip cracks and cleavage fractures in the green part. Although high pressures are required for pressing high density shapes they should not be excessive.

    2014 April 17, Michael Russo, “Understanding the Powdered Metal Process: Spotlight on Compacting”, in National Bronze, archived from the original on 14 Oct 2024

22. Having a status (as correct, ready, or safe) denoted or coded by the color green.

    Conditions all green! Standby...OK! It is time!

    2004, Intelligent Systems, translated by Nintendo of America, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Nintendo, GameCube, level/area: Fahr Outpost

present singular third person greens · participle present greening · participle past greened · past greened

1. transitiveTo make or turn (something) green or greener.

   Great spring before greened all the year.

   a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Out of that tub had come the day before—Tess felt it with a dreadful sting of remorse - the very white frock upon her back which she had so carelessly greened about the skirt on the damping grass - which had been wrung up and ironed by her mother's own hands.

   1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume I, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the first (The Maiden), page 30

2. To become or grow green in color.

   by greening slope and singing flood

   1886, John Greenleaf Whittier, Flowers in Winter

   1 more example

   O rosetree planted in my grief, / And growing, on her tomb, / Her dust is greening in your leaf, / Her blood is in your bloom.

   1885, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “The Ancient Sage”, in Tiresias and Other Poems, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 63

3. transitiveTo add greenspaces to (a town, etc.).

   The newer 39-story, 1.5-million-square-foot tower occupies much of the original Shearson Garden, a larger parklet that briefly greened the construction site to be, and is remembered fondly by nearby Tribecans.

   2000, AIA Guide to New York City, page 58

4. intransitiveTo become environmentally aware.

   Synonyms: greenen, engreen

5. transitiveTo make (something) environmentally friendly.

   "The SNP like to talk the talk about net zero targets, but they can't walk the walk. We need a fares freeze for everyone if we want to get serious about greening the economy and a public railway run in the public interest."

   2023 June 28, Conrad Landin, “Network News: Scottish 4.8% rail fares rise labelled 'bad news'”, in RAIL, number 986, page 18

1. procedure wordBDSMUsed to indicate that the speaker wishes to commence (or to continue a previously stopped) sexual activity.

plural Greens · alternative Greene · alternative Grene

1. countableuncountableA common English surname from Middle English.

   When mathematicians face a question they cannot answer, they sometimes devise a less stringent question, in the hope that solving it will provide insights. This is the path that Tao took in 2004, in collaboration with Ben Green of Oxford.

   2015 July 24, Gareth Cook, “The Singular Mind of Terry Tao”, in The New York Times Magazine, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Mar 2020

2. A number of places in the United States:
   1. countableuncountableA minor city in Clay County, Kansas.
   2. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Elliott County, Kentucky.
   3. countableuncountableA city in Summit County, Ohio, formerly a township.
   4. countableuncountableA census-designated place in Douglas County, Oregon.
   5. countableuncountableA number of townships in the United States, listed under Green Township.
3. A place in Wales:
   1. countableuncountableA hamlet in Denbigh community, Denbighshire (OS grid ref SJ0568).
   2. countableuncountableA northern suburb of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire (OS grid ref SM9801).
   3. countableuncountableA settlement in Churchstoke community, Powys (OS grid ref SO2694).
4. abbreviationcountableellipsishistoricalinformaluncountableOxford UniversityEllipsis of Green College, Oxford.

alternative Greene · alternative Grene

1. not comparablegovernmentOf, or pertaining, to a Green Party or green party.

plural Greens · alternative Greene · alternative Grene

1. governmentA member of a Green Party or green party.