Definition

1. Noun:

   • A color: The color between green and orange in the visible spectrum; the color of ripe lemons, sunflowers, or egg yolks.
   • Pigment: A substance used to produce this color.

2. Adjective:

   • Of the color yellow: Having the hue of the color yellow.
   • Cowardly: (Informal) Showing a lack of courage; easily frightened.
   • Sensationalist: (Of journalism, especially newspapers) Presenting news in a sensational, exaggerated, or unscrupulous way to attract readers.
   • Jaundiced: Affected by jaundice, causing a yellowish tinge to the skin and eyes.
   • Discolored with age: Having turned to a yellowish color due to age, as with old paper.

3. Verb:

   • To become yellow: To turn the color yellow, often due to age, exposure, or a chemical process.

Examples

• Noun:

  • She painted the wall a bright yellow.
  • The artist mixed blue and yellow to make green.

• Adjective:

  • He wore a yellow shirt. (Color)
  • Don't be so yellow; stand up for yourself! (Cowardly)
  • The story was published in a yellow newspaper. (Sensationalist)
  • The patient's skin was yellow from liver disease. (Jaundiced)
  • The pages of the old book were yellow. (Discolored)

• Verb:

  • The old newspaper clippings had yellowed over time.
  • The leaves begin to yellow in the autumn.

Advanced Usage

• "Yellow-bellied": An informal term meaning cowardly.

  • He was too yellow-bellied to confront the bully.

• "Yellow streak": A trait of cowardice in someone's character.

  • He has a yellow streak a mile wide.

Variants and Related Words

• Yellowish (adj): Slightly yellow.
  • The liquid had a yellowish tint.
• Yellowness (n): The quality or state of being yellow.
• Yellowing (n/adj): The process of becoming yellow; turning yellow.
  • The yellowing of the paper was evident.

Synonyms

• Adjective (Color): Golden, lemon, saffron, amber.
• Adjective (Cowardly): Cowardly, timid, fearful, chicken (slang).
• Adjective (Sensationalist): Tabloid, sensational, lurid.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

(Note: "Yellow" as a verb does not commonly form standard phrasal verbs. The following are related phrases.) - Yellow out: (Rare) To cause to become yellow. - Yellow up: (Rare) To become yellow.

Related Idioms

• Mellow yellow: (Slang, dated) A state of relaxed contentment; also historically associated with a type of psychedelic song or drug culture.
• Yellow journalism: Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers.
  • The era was known for its yellow journalism.
• Yellow card: In soccer (football), a card shown by the referee to a player as a caution for misconduct.
• Yellow peril: (Offensive, historical) A term expressing a racist fear of East Asian peoples and cultures.

Verb

1. turn yellow
   • The pages of the book began to yellow

Noun

1. yellow color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of sunflowers or ripe lemons

Adjective

1. affected by jaundice which causes yellowing of skin etc
2. cowardly or treacherous
   • the little yellow stain of treason-M.W.Straight
   • too yellow to stand and fight
3. typical of tabloids
   • sensational journalistic reportage of the scandal
   • yellow press
4. changed to a yellowish color by age
   • yellowed parchment
5. easily frightened
6. of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk