off-colour

Thân thiện

A comedian told an off-colour joke that made some audience members uncomfortable.

Definition

Adjective: 1. Slightly indecent, risqué, or in poor taste: Used to describe a joke, remark, or story that is considered somewhat improper, vulgar, or not suitable for polite conversation. 2. Not feeling well, slightly unwell: (Chiefly British English) Used to describe a person who is feeling slightly ill or not in their usual good health.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective (Indecent/Tasteless):

  • He told an off-colour joke that made some people at the dinner party uncomfortable.
  • The comedian's routine was full of off-colour humour.
  • Avoid making off-colour remarks during the formal presentation.

• Adjective (Unwell - chiefly British):

  • She's feeling a bit off-colour today, so she decided to stay home from work.
  • You look off-colour; are you coming down with something?

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used euphemistically to describe humour or language that is sexually suggestive or scatological without being explicitly obscene.
• In the sense of being unwell, it implies a general, non-specific feeling of malaise rather than a diagnosed illness.

Variants and Related Words

• Off-color (adjective): The standard spelling in American English for both meanings.
• Off-coloured (adjective): A less common variant.

Synonyms

• For "indecent/tasteless": risqué, ribald, bawdy, suggestive, indelicate, earthy, vulgar.
• For "unwell": under the weather, out of sorts, poorly, indisposed, queasy.

Idioms and Phrases

• To be/turn/go off-colour: This phrasal form is commonly used with the "unwell" meaning.
  • He went off-colour very suddenly during the meeting.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. in violation of good taste even verging on the indecent
   • an indelicate remark
   • an off-color joke

Từ đồng nghĩa

• indelicate
• off-color