colour in
A2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To use coloured pencils or crayons to put colour inside a drawing.
Literal meaning: Fully transparent: to apply colour inside a shape or drawing.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
To apply colour to a printed or drawn outline using pencils, crayons, or other colouring tools.
"The children spent the afternoon colouring in pictures of animals."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
neutral
(Figurative) To add richness, depth, or detail to a story, argument, or description.
"The director coloured in the historical scenes with authentic period costumes."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
'Colour in' is the British English spelling; 'color in' is American. Functionally identical. Used widely in education, children's activities, and illustration. Also used figuratively in British English journalism to mean adding richness or detail.
Commonly used with
picture drawing map shape outline colouring book
Forms
Base
colour in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
colours in
he/she/it
Past simple
coloured in
yesterday
Past participle
coloured in
have + pp
-ing form
colouring in
continuous
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