/ griːn; NAmE / adjective , noun , verb
■ adjective
( green·er , green·est )
COLOUR
1.
having the colour of grass or the leaves of most plants and trees :
green beans
Wait for the light to turn green (= on traffic lights).
COVERED WITH GRASS
2.
covered with grass or other plants :
green fields / hills
After the rains, the land was green with new growth.
FRUIT
3.
not yet ready to eat :
green tomatoes
PERSON
4.
( informal ) ( of a person ) young and lacking experience :
The new trainees are still very green.
5.
( of a person or their skin ) being a pale colour, as if the person is going to vomit :
It was a rough crossing and most of the passengers looked distinctly green.
POLITICS
6.
concerned with the protection of the environment; supporting the protection of the environment as a political principle :
green politics
Try to adopt a greener lifestyle.
the Green Party
► green·ness noun [ U ]:
the greenness of the countryside
Supermarkets have started proclaiming the greenness of their products.
•
IDIOMS
- green with envy
—more at grass noun
■ noun
COLOUR
1.
[ U , C ] the colour of grass and the leaves of most plants and trees :
the green of the countryside in spring
The room was decorated in a combination of greens and blues.
She was dressed all in green.
VEGETABLES
2.
greens [ pl. ] ( especially BrE ) green vegetables :
Eat up your greens.
AREA OF GRASS
3.
[ C ] ( BrE ) an area of grass, especially in the middle of a town or village :
Children were playing on the village green.
4.
[ C ] ( in golf ) an area of grass cut short around a hole in a golf course :
the 18th green
Did the ball land on the green?
—picture at golf
—see also bowling green , putting green
POLITICS
5.
the Greens [ pl. ] the Green Party (= the party whose main aim is the protection of the environment)
■ verb
[ vn ]
CREATE PARKS
1.
to create parks and other areas with trees and plants in a city :
projects for greening the cities
POLITICS
2.
to make sb more aware of issues connected with the environment; to make sth appear friendly towards the environment :
an attempt to green industry bosses
► green·ing noun [ U ]:
the greening of British politics
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English grēne (adjective), grēnian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch groen , German grün , also to grass and grow .